ART ROUNDUP N O V E M B E R
By Katie Nartonis
Morongo Valley: Spaghetti Western Gallery: Susan Kearns, New Paintings
Info: Opening Reception Sunday, November 3rd – 6-8pm.
Show runs from October 31 – December 29th
SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL ARTIST SUSAN KEARNS:
Joshua Tree Voice Arts Writer, Katie Nartonis interviewed artist Susan Kearns in advance of her one-woman show opening this month at Spaghetti Western in Morongo Valley. Susan is a double threat – an inspired painter and a musician with her husband in the “Kearns Family Band.”
Katie Nartonis: How did you land on painting as your medium?
Susan Kearns: Painting allows me to express myself freely. I like the freedom to decide if I want to be meticulous and detailed, or just throw paint on a panel in an expressive way. I usually use large brushes and experiment with various textures and types of paint. I like the smells, the different viscosities… I find painting to be exciting, therapeutic, and at times frustrating. It stirs my emotions in a way that no other art form can.
KN: Tell me about your work and your process.
SK: I usually work large. I work on wood panels because I like a rigid surface in order to manipulate it. I work predominantly in oil, but out of necessity, I started incorporating industrial materials that I purchase at local hardware stores. I’m now using anything that I could get my hands on, and getting interesting results. I’ve been calling it “Experimentalism.” It has kind of become my thing. I paint outdoors in a primitive open-air “studio.” I use the Desert as a medium. I’ll let sand blow on wet paint, for example. I also like to let my paintings sit outside in the elements, sometimes for weeks or months to see a sense of deterioration. I find that fascinating.
KN: How does the Desert inform your work?
SK: Because I work outdoors, I feel very connected to the Desert. I’m inspired by the harsh beauty of it. I paint a lot of Desert landscapes. When I visit a place I find inspiring, I try to take it into memory. When I paint it, I will draw from those memories. It ends up taking on a dreamlike, surreal quality that’s based on my emotions as opposed to being based on a photo. I also paint Desert animals. I paint them as iconic, saintly beings often with human qualities.
KN: How does being a musician affect your paintings?
SK: I’m a musician as well as a music fan. I play stand-up bass in “The Kearns Family,” an acoustic folk and western duo formed by my husband singer/songwriter Pat Kearns. I get a lot of painting inspiration from the imagery in his writings. For our album “Down In The Wash,” I made a painting for each one of the songs. I listened to the songs over and over while Pat was mixing them (he’s also a recording engineer), and painted my feelings and what imagery arose from listening to the music. It was a very successful series. I did the same thing again for our new album “Together And Alone.” I also play electric bass in a rock band called “Yvonne Champagne.” It’s an all-female power trio consisting of two electric effect-laden basses and drums. I met my band mates, Cat Celebrezze and Denise Tanguay in the local art scene. We are all artists and it shows in our unique sound of fuzz garage rock.
KN: What do you see for the future of the Desert community, what are your hopes?
SK: We have a magical place here in our Desert community, and so many crazy talented artists of all sorts! My hopes are that we (The Morongo Basin) can be an art community first. A place where artists can live affordably and thrive. I’m hoping the local governments actively take part in helping art and music venues open so we have places to meet, network, and create. I’m hoping that our unique community doesn’t get overrun with bland housing developments, chain restaurants, and chain retail. I’m hoping we can keep Joshua Tree weird.
Photos: Courtesy of Susan Kearns
“Pink Moon Rise”. 13×17”. “Oil and acrylic on wood.
“Salvation Mountain”. 48×24″. Oil and industrial pain on panel.
“The Lone Wolf”. “24×36”. Oil and industrial paints on panel.
LANDERS:
Goat Gallery Landers:
Show Title: CONTEMPLATE
Featuring the work of Judith-Schorr Wold and David McDonald
Dates: Artist Reception on Sunday, November 10, 2-5 pm.
Show runs November 10, 2024 – January 12, 2025
Information: Goat will celebrate the fall with a two-person exhibition, CONTEMPLATE, featuring the work of high-desert artist Judith-Schorr Wold and Los Angeles artist David McDonald. Gallerist Nicola Vruwink notes, “This exhibition unites the work of the two artists, offering an expansive visual discourse that deeply resonates a contemplative engagement with color, material, texture, and form.”
Goat Gallery is located at 1025 Single Tree Rd, Landers, 92285
Appointments are available; reach out here or on IG @goatgallerylanders to schedule.
Photo:
David McDonald, “Big Country #29, 2023
Hydrocal, Plaster Wrap, Liquid Watercolor, Varnish, Sand, Cold Wax Medium
7” x 10” x 7
YUCCA VALLEY:
Black Rock Art Gallery:
Show Title: Jim Weaver
Dates: Show open through January 3, 2025
Information: Black Rock Gallery is located in the Black Rock Nature Center and exists as a space for presenting contemporary interpretations of themes related to the Joshua Tree National Park.
Compound YV
Show Title: Ayin Es’ solo exhibition ‘On The Mend’
Dates: Opening Nov. 16. Show on view through Jan 12.
Information: Multimedia artist, writer, and musician Ayin Es, born in Santa Monica, CA, identifies as trans/nonbinary and genderqueer. Known for their unusual oil paintings, drawings, collages, and artist’s books, Ayin Es is a two-time recipient of ARC Grants from the Durfee Foundation and has also won the Pollock-Krasner Fellowship, the Wynn Newhouse Award, the Bruce Geller Memorial Award from the American Jewish University, and an Artist Achievement Award from the National Arts & Disability Center/UCLA.
Compound YV is located at 55379 29 Palms Highway, open Friday through Sunday, 12–5 pm.
Hi Desert Artists (HDA):
Show Titles:
- Pro Members Photo Show
October 26 – November 20. Opening: October 26, 5–8 pm. - Assemblage Invitational
October 26 – November 20. Opening: October 26, 5–8 pm. - Beyond the Sand
Group show featuring DeAnna Valdez, Matt Cauthron, Sonja Krastman, and Juliette Vos. Show runs from November 1 – November 30, Opening Reception: November 1, 5–8 pm.
Information: The Hi-Desert Artists Center announces three new shows for November: The Photo Show in the East Members’ Gallery features various photographic work, some from artists whose primary medium isn’t necessarily photography. The Assemblage Invitational in the West Members’ Gallery features art assembled from various found objects, generally three-dimensional. “Beyond the Sand” in the Shafer Gallery showcases work by DeAnna Valdez, Matt Cauthron, Sonja Krastman, and Juliette Vos. In December, we will continue a tradition started by Gallery62, hosting a $200 and under Holidays Show, opening on Nov 30 and running through Dec 27. The Shafer Gallery will feature the work of Jason Graves at that time.
The HDA Center is open Thursday – Monday, 12 – 6, and 12 – 3 on Sunday.
Location: 55635 29 Palms Highway, Yucca Valley (Corner of Geronimo and Hwy 62)
Hours: 12-6 Thursday – Monday, 12-3 Sunday, Phone: 760-285-5523
PHOTO:
California Dreaming – Tami Wood, Assemblage Artist
Space Truckin’ Gallery
Show Title: “Just Desserts” (A delicious group of art)
Dates: Opens on November 16th, 5-9 pm – during the Third Saturday Yucca Valley Art Walk.
Information: All the art will be dessert-themed, with subjects including pastries, cakes, donuts, and many other sweet-looking pieces. There will also be a wide variety of actual desserts made by the artists and friends to eat.
Come satisfy your sweet tooth and your sweet eye! Just Desserts, an indulgent, visually sweet, and tasty dessert experience!
Photo: Donut with Sprinkles by Juan Thorp
La Matadora:
Show Title: “Low Hanging Magick”
Dates: Show opens Saturday, Nov 9, with an Art Party from 6–9 pm. Show runs through Sunday, Dec 8.
Information: This three-person show features the work of Aaron Sheppard, Frau Sakra, and Tony Buhagiar. “Low Hanging Magick” focuses on narrative themes uniquely portrayed by each artist, with subjects such as nature, sex, and magick that thread their contrasting styles together. The title serves as a playful nod to the layers of mystery, connection, and contrast presented in the exhibit.
(Studio 52, 61857 Highway 62, Joshua Tree)
Gallery hours: Saturday & Sunday 12–5 pm and by appointment.
Website: lamatadoragallery.org
Instagram: @la.matadora.gallery
JOSHUA TREE:
HeyThere Projects
Show Title: Satoko Okuno
Dates: Opening reception Saturday, November 9, 6-9 PM. The show runs October 9 – December 12.
Information: Satoko Okuno (b. 1991) is a painter and ceramic artist originally from Tokyo, Japan, currently living and working in LA. “Okuno’s artistic vision is anchored in the portrayal of animals and mythological creatures, drawing inspiration from various sources such as her two cats, encounters at the zoo, and ancient art forms like Greek pottery and Egyptian sculptures. Her vibrant mixed-media paintings, adorned with impasto textures, and glazed stoneware breathe life into these creatures, establishing them as guardians within her art and inviting viewers into a comforting and safe realm. This profound exploration of guardianship is rooted in Okuno’s Japanese upbringing, steeped in the cultural richness of Shintoism—the belief that all things, ranging from natural materials, animals, and humans alike, have a spirit. Having grown up with traditional Japanese sculptures of guardian animals, often placed in front of shrines to bring safety and protect inhabitants, she recasts those animals as central characters in her modern-day sanctuaries, providing solace and gentleness in a world often laden with life’s traumas.”
HeyThere Projects
61675 Twentynine Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
heythereprojects@gmail.com
760 974-9470
Gallery Hours: Monday 9-4, Tuesday 10-4, Wednesday 10-4, Thursday 9-4, Friday 9-4, Saturday 9-5, Sunday 9-4
TWENTYNINE PALMS:
29 Palms Art Gallery
Show Title: 12th Annual JTNP Art Expo Juried Exhibition – All Galleries
Dates: Opening Saturday November 2, 4-7pm
Nov. 30th: Holiday Art Market 9am-3pm
Hours: 11am-3pm (Friday-Sunday)
Information: 74055 Cottonwood Dr, Twentynine
Palms, CA 92277
Photo: Poster for JTNP
Katie Nartonis is an art + design specialist, writer, curator, and documentary filmmaker. Her latest book, California Desert Artists will be featured at the upcoming 29PBF: TwentyNine Palms Book Festival on November 8 + 9. Her upcoming curated exhibit “Garry Knox Bennett: Crafting the Counter Culture” opens at the Maloof Foundation during Palm Springs Modernism Week, 2025.
