By Rebecca Pikus
The Greater Palm Springs residents & visitors alike to the Desert, are now taking notice of an exciting & newly developing Art Destination: Perez Rd. Art District in Cathedral City, Ca. This enclave of cutting-edge galleries is attracting larger & larger crowds to the myriad Events, Performances, & Art that is being offered to the public. The Perez Rd. Art District is located on Perez Rd., between Cathedral Canyon Drive & Date Palm Drive. Like Soho & Tribeca in New York City many years ago, this area of industrial buildings was originally auto repair shops, frame shops, and commercial vendors. But now the newly emerging galleries are transforming the area as their need for large, raw space, high ceilings and affordability, with easy access became a necessity to open and relocate to Perez Rd.
Rebecca Fine Art Gallery: This upscale, avant-garde gallery showcases award-winning paintings, sculptures, lithos, serigraphs, & photography. The gallery specializes in Contemporary & Modern Art, from Abstract Expressionism, Color Field Painting, Trancendentalism, to The New York School of Artists. This remarkable gallery is the passion of owner Rebecca Pikus. Together with the creative visionary Maris Kazaks, Director & Curator, they have created a unique gallery space, and a museum-quality exhibition featuring national & international artists: “Visually Speaking – Color & Light”, with Guest Curator Joe Novak. The exhibit runs through Dec. 31, 2016 & showcases 70 artists, including Robert Rauschenberg, Salvador Dali, Joe Novak, Donald Spencer, Mario Pikus, Robert Tahar, James Turrell, August Muth, Peter Busa & Nathan Slate Joseph.
Colliding Worlds Fine Art Gallery – This gallery is the crown jewel in the Colliding Worlds tiara. “I have focused on the arts my entire life. What began as Colliding Worlds TV has grown to include Colliding Worlds Radio, Colliding Worlds Tumblr and now the Colliding Worlds Fine Art Gallery”, noted Owner Angela Valente Romeo. “My gallery’s focus is on works that are eclectic. I look for art that clearly shows the hand and heart of the artist. If they are controversial so much the better! I do believe we are all born artists and the Gallery proves my point!”
Simeon Den Gallery/Fine & Temple Arts – From the eclectic to the sublime, Den directs a non-traditional gallery and e-commerce enterprise that showcases his personal métier in the Contemporary and Temple Arts. The Simeon Den Gallery focus and art niche attends to the spiritual and transcendental Schools, the minimalist style, the Zen aesthetic, the figurative and whimsical influences, and the political and subversive “gay gaze” of LGBTQ expressions in art. The gallery also functions as a community-building effort by hosting and offering classes and workshops in the Temple Arts—yoga, tai ch’I, meditation groups, Feng Shui services, sound bath sessions, a writers circle, bereavement group, Zen brush painting, and various performance-based activities including Butoh Dance and live-improvisation music making.
Trenz Gallery is one of the newest galleries to open on Perez Rd. Co-owners Vern (Laverne) Chamness & Rogert Leighton relocated their gallery — and their vision — from Dallas, Texas to Cathedral City, Ca. The gallery has an eclectic mix of art ranging from paintings, ceramic work including sculptures, metal sculptures, glass work, and mixed media sculptures. Styles range from contemporary to realistic. Gallery co-owner, Roger Leighton, is a major source of their art, but they also represent over 25 artists. The gallery also specializes in Interior Design projects & commissions. The gallery also has a workshop & will be offering their facility to the public.
Gary Kott’s Creative Warehouse – Bring your imagination to Gary Kott’s Creative Warehouse, a workshop/showroom featuring paintings and sculptures that have been described as the new art of modernism. On one wall are found object guitars ranging from six-feet to eight-feet tall hanging across from a huge painting triptych dripped in reds, blues, and yellows. On a series of display racks are found more object sculptures, neo-typewriters, a “vintage” pink Cadillac, a classic sailing ship nested in a not-so-classic Sparkletts bottle. In the next room is Gary Kott’s spacious workshop where visitors can see art in action, found object sculptures being shaped, resin coatings being smoothed, new paintings being dripped.
Cathedral City, through the vision & energy of Christopher Parman, Communications & Events Manager, has now begun projects promoting the Perez Rd. Art District. In the Fall, there are many art-related Events planned, including a monthly Art Walk. In addition, Simeon Den & Alan Carvalho, who Co-Chair the Cathedral Public Arts Commission have worked tirelessly to put the Perez Rd. Art District on the map. Other dedicated Cathedral City appointees, such as Valerie Schecter, Tim Parrot, & Sue Townsley are instrumental in building our new Art Destination.
Here is a list of the galleries:
Arte Vita Gallery, 68845 Perez Road, Suite H27, Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 808-3702
At Hom, 929 Home Center, 68929 Perez Rd, Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 770-4447
Colliding Worlds Fine Art Gallery, 68895 Perez Rd, Suite I -13, Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 832-9580
Colin Fisher Studios, 68929 Perez Rd, Ste M, Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 324-7300
The Desert House, 68895 Perez Road Suites 1-4, Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 832-6745
Gary Kott’s Creative Warehouse, 68805 Perez Road, Suite F-41 (702) 328-9000
Giles Studios, 37732 Palo Verde Drive, Cathedral City, California 92234 (760) 808-5530
Hedge, 68929 Perez Rd, Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 770-0090
Joannes Lucas, 68845 Perez Road, Suite H28, Cathedral City, CA 92234 (760) 808-3702
Nicole Barosi Gallery, 68703 Perez Road, Suite A15, Cathedral City, CA (760) 832-9285
Rebecca Fine Art Gallery, 68895 Perez Road, #7 & 8, Cathedral City, CA (760) 534-5888 – Fineartvortex.com – Open Wed-Sat 11am-4pm & By Appt
Simeon Den Gallery/Fine & Temple Arts, 68895 Perez Rd, #27, Cathedral City, Ca (310) 801-6538 – Open Wed-Sat 12:30pm-4pm & By Appt
Spaces, 68929 Perez Road, Suite K, Cathedral City, CA (760) 770-5333
Studio One 11, 68929 Perez Road, Suite J, Cathedral City, CA (760) 770-1111
Trenz Gallery, 68845 Perez Road, Suite H-15, Cathedral City, CA (760) 202-8769
