The La Quinta Arts Festival was held from March 1-4 at the La Quinta Civic Center campus. There were a plethora of different art styles made up of anything from paint and paper to wax and wire.

Most of the artists did not allow pictures to be taken of their art for privacy reasons. However, each booth had displays of artwork for sale.

The reactions of the attendees varied from each piece of art. Some showed distaste toward the way politics were depicted in some pieces, while others were mesmerized by the effort and creativity displayed by the artists.

Sculpture artist Michael Gard uses an intricate process of creating a sculpture out of clay. Soon after, the sculpture is reproduced into wax, which is then wrapped with wire involving different knots. Finally, the wax is melted away, leaving these human figures constructed of wire. Gard had his pieces displayed by suspending them in the air, which drew many people to his booth.

Digital artist Carolyn Quan uses technology to blend photographs together to create a “fantasy land” of mystical images from pictures of the real world. According to Quan’s website, “Her art is inspired by spirituality and the beauty she finds in nature and humankind.”

The weather affected the La Quinta Arts Festival as there was a strong wind present that caused the artists to take down some of their art to protect it. Painters had to hold their tents so that the paintings wouldn’t fall, while sculptures had to remove their pieces from their stands. Wood sculpture, Crystal Lockwood, laid her less dense pieces on the ground to protect them against the wind.

Overall, the La Quinta Arts Festival had a variety of artists from all over the country who had the pleasure of sharing their hard work with the community.