OPENING: Friday, April 19, 5-7pm
BLACK ROCK ART GALLERY
inside Joshua Tree National Park's Black Rock Nature Center
9800 Black Rock Canyon Rd., Yucca Valley, CA 92284
SHOWING: April 19 - June (Date TBD), 2024
Hours until May 31: 7 Days a week, 8-11am, 12-4pm
Summer hours starts June 1: Fri-Sun 8-11am, 12-4pm
This exhibition, produced in partnership with Joshua Tree National Park, will feature 810 hand drawn character patches by students from 11 schools, with support from 113 teachers and 7 Groundwork Arts teaching artists.
In February, students had the opportunity to explore the art of local artist, Shari Elf. Shari founded the Art Queen in downtown Joshua Tree, where she displays art, makes goods, and sells unique items of clothing and patches embellished with hand-drawn characters and inspiring messages. Shari’s work exudes her playful, carefree spirit.
Drawing inspiration from Shari’s patches, students created simple, hand-drawn characters on fabric squares that can be traded with friends, given to loved ones, or, in this case, combined to make collaborative quilts. It was an exercise in “less is more” and an opportunity to celebrate our weird, wonderful, and not-so-perfect selves.
This project is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.