The seventh annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition

This event will take place Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15 at the Oasis of Mara in Twentynine Palms, CA. The weekend celebration will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at oasis venues including the 29 Palms Art Gallery, 29 Palms Inn, 29 Palms Creative Center, and Joshua Tree National Park Oasis Visitor Center on National Park Drive.

A highlight of the Art Expo is a juried exhibition of artwork inspired by Joshua Tree National Park, featuring the work of 57 artists from the desert region and across California and the U.S. The exhibition is on display September 1 to 29 at the historic 29 Palms Art Gallery, 74055 Cottonwood Drive at the corner of National Park Drive.

An awards reception will be held for artists and the public on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m. at 29 Palms Art Gallery. Attendees are invited to view the exhibition and enjoy light hors d’oeuvres and a no-host bar. Admission is a requested $5 donation at the door. Art awards totaling $5,000 will be presented to the artists, along with a special Superintendent’s Award from Joshua Tree National Park Superintendent David Smith.

On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., an Art Market will be held on the lawn at 29 Palms Inn, with artists’ booths and artwork for sale, along with live music, and food and beverages provided by the Inn and La Quinta Brewing Co. Attendees can enter a drawing for a chance to win a piece of desert artwork. Admission is free.

In addition, a special exhibit entitled “The Desert Underground” will be on display in the tent area at 29 Palms Inn, presented by Robin Kobaly of SummerTree Institute and artist Juniper Harrower, focusing on the roots of desert plants and how they help mitigate climate change.

On Sunday, from 10 a.m. to noon, JTNP Artists’ Tea will host an event on the lawn at 29 Palms Inn during the Art Market, with oracle readings as part of the NEA Big Read program.

Free art demonstrations for all ages will be offered at the 29 Palms Art Gallery on Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., by artists from the 29 Palms Artists’ Guild, Chaparral Artists, and Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council. And on Saturday, the public is invited to participate in art projects at 29 Palms Creative Center with artist Gretchen Grunt.

Ranger talks will be given at Joshua Tree National Park’s Oasis Visitor Center at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. both days, and attendees are invited to walk and explore the Oasis of Mara trail.

A complete schedule of events and map can be found online at www.jtnpARTS.org. The annual Joshua Tree National Park Art Exposition is presented by Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Twentynine Palms.