Celebrating the Summer Show and Sale May 5 - October 7, 2018 Gallery Hours for September: Thursday - Sunday 11:00 - 4:00 |
About UsThe Borrego Art Institute (BAI) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization with the goal to inspire and enrich the community of Borrego Springs by offering a venue for the public to experience, create, and enjoy all forms of art. Our distinctive campus features the Gallery, the Pottery studio and workshop, the ArtFarm gardens, the KidsArt programs and our on-site Restaurant, Kesling's Kitchen all in the heart of Borrego Springs’ core business district at Christmas Circle and Palm Canyon Drive. A community resource and gathering place, The BAI is an important catalyst for adult and children's education, participation, art appreciation, and a great meal. Please join us for classes, shows and other events, and as a member. If you are an artist, a resident, a visitor, a family, an art lover, or simply a curious explorer, we look forward to welcoming you! Introducing Joan Anson, Executive Director of the Borrego Art Institute!
What's New at BAI?
Easels Needed: BAI is in need of easels for our workshops. If you have an easel sitting around that you don't use, consider donating it to BAI. Our workshop program is growing and we need to equip it for our students. For each studio easel donated, we will give a one year's membership to BAI. Contact Kay at gallery@borregoartinstitute.org
Congratulations to Lisa Roth of San Diego, CA our Customer Appreciation winner for August! Each month we will hold a customer appreciation drawing from entries submitted by gallery customers.
New additions to the Gallery: Thanks to a $5,000 contribution from Dennis and Sharon Nourse, the gallery now has additional wing walls
 in time for the seasonal opening in the fall. Five four foot extensions to existing movable walls give the gallery 320 square feet more of display space and allow for more diversification in our exhibitions. The walls were constructed and installed by local building contractors Anson Construction. 
Calling All Artists
Please note that our calendar for the 2018/2019 season has changed. Our first show of the season is The Art of Photography, October 12-November 4, 2018. Opening reception is Saturday October 13 at 5:00 pm. We will accept art for the show October 6 & 7, 10:30 am to 4:00 pm. For more information, click on the link Information for Artists.
Our Gift Shop has a new look. New glass display shelves have been added, replacing the pedestals and black shelves to give the area a bright, open look. As a result, we are able to display more of the unique one-of-a-kind art pieces for which we have become known. And it's not too early to start shopping for Christmas.
We are accepting memberships. For Members, artist's entry fees for entering shows are waived except for the Plein Air Invitational. Members also receive discounts on gallery workshops, free admission to seminars and demonstrations, a gift card to Kesling's Kitchen. To become a member, go to Join Us in the menu at the top, click on Become a Member. Membership cards can be picked up at the desk at the BAI Gallery.
THIS PAST SEASON the Gallery expanded it's offering of shows. Expressions in the Abstract, our first show of purely abstract art, featuring the work of Kim Chasen, Theresa Vandenberg Donche, and Hiroko Momii, opened to high acclaim in November. It was so successful that we are bringing it back for this season. The Abstract Show for November 2018 will be even more exciting with the work of five prominent artists on display. Kim Chasen and Theresa Vandenberg Donche will return and be joined by Phillip Vaughan from Altadena, CA, Gerald Patric from Palm Springs, and Nicholas Foschi from Desert Hot Springs, This coming season in January, in conjunction with the Latino Art show, will be a showing for the month of the beautiful photographs of Mongolia by acclaimed La Jolla photographer Nick Agelidis. Nick's new book, "Under the Eternal Blue Sky" will also be available and is the title of a program to be held on January 26 at BAI celebrating Borrego Springs becoming a partner city with Khvod, Mongolia. In attendance will not only be local dignitaries but also the Consul General of Mongolia. Our local elementary art students will be participating in the event as well as some of the High School students. As details unfold, updates on the event will be announced. Sculpture artist Lynn Creighton had a showing of her beautiful bronze sculptures of women March 11- April 1, 2018. Her work was exhibited throughout the gallery in conjunction with our Plein Air Invitational. Lynn has been invited back for March 2019 for a showing of her new series of bronzes.
The Orchard is In!
Over 40 fruit trees, varieties especially selected for desert growing, have been planted in the ArtFarm Orchard and Garden. They include nectarines, apricots, apples, figs, pomegranates, peaches, plums and kumquats. In the next phase of the ArtFarm plan, the raised beds will be moved and spring plantings, which have already started, will fill the beds. Available in the Gallery - ArtFarm T-shirts. These are for sale in the Gallery store for $20 each plus tax. Proceeds will go toward continued funding for the ArtFarm.
| Current and Upcoming Events at BAI
Kesling's Kitchen is OPEN EVERY DAY. To see the current menu, go to the restaurant tab and click on current menu in the drop down menu. For the summer, the restaurant is open 7 days a week, Noon to 8:30 pm. 760-767-7600. Kesling's Kitchen is now doing catering: Book your party trays from our great catering menu. Go to the Restaurant tab and click on Kesling's Catering in the drop down menu. Be sure to check out Kesling's Art Wall. Each month a new artist will be featured in the restaurant on the wall between the gallery and the restaurant. Our Featured Artist for the months of June-September is abstract artist Theresa Vandenberg Donche.
The Pottery Mural Project Funded by a matching $10,000 grant, the Pottery is enlisting community involvement in creating a mural on the outside South wall of the Borrego Art Institute building. The mural will celebrate the arts in Borrego Springs and is scheduled for completion in March 2019. To follow along on the progress of the mural, click on The Pottery. 2018 SUMMER SCHEDULE Please call, text or email Jill at 760-285-7145, tgsjas@gmail.com The Pottery Studio is located adjacent to the High School swimming pool on Cahuilla Road off of Borrego Springs Road. During school hours, anyone new to the pottery much check in at the school office. Find us under the big blue canopy.
DOOR MURAL PROJECT AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BAI art teacher Leslie Duncanl leads kids on a project to brighten up their school. See story under KidsArt PHOTOGRAPHY PROGRAM Our BAI supported Photography program at the Middle School, taught by Tom Hogan, one of our BAI volunteers and a professional photographer, will continue in the 2018/2019 school year. The class completed a video, Big Little Town, which was shown during the Borrego Film Festival in January 2018. To view the video, turn up your sound and click on https://vimeo.com/246308644
WELCOME NEW and RENEWED MEMBERS: September: Suzanne Pyle...Portland, OR Ellen Finan...Desert Hot Springs, CA Laura Alioto...San Diego, CA Lois Carlson...Alpine, CA Gayle Reynolds...Oakland, CA Kathy Magnum...Pasadena, CA Louise Peelle...Carlsbad, CA Ellen Sweet...La Jolla, CA Timothy Mielcarek...Palm Desert, CA Mary Leahy...Concord, NH Don Britton...Murrieta, CA Kat Tapscott...Borrego Springs Joan & Rick Anson...Borrego Springs Mac & Leslie McQuown...Borrego Springs Jim & Anne Wermers...Borrego Springs Diane Johnson...Borrego Springs Bob Blum...Borrego Springs Kay Levie...Borrego Springs Robin Ten Eyk...Borrego Springs Diana Troncoso...Borrego Springs Leslie Duncan...Borrego Springs Barbara Nickerson...Borrego Springs Martha Deichler...Borrego Springs Ben Nourse...Borrego Springs Sally Linden...Needham, MA Ginger Dunlop Dietz...Borrego Springs Jill Sullivan...Borrego Springs Jack & Joanne Sims...Borrego Springs Elaine McVey...Borrego Springs Warner Graves...San Francisco, CA Jean Volmar...Borrego Springs Jacqueline Larsen...Borrego Springs DONORS CORNER 2018 Donations: |
We’d like to welcome Joan Anson as team leader and our first executive director for the Borrego Art Institute. A long-time Borrego resident, Joan comes to us with a strong background in office management, finance, and, as an eleven-year BAI Board member (2004-2015), a strong knowledge and understanding of BAI. Joan will be working with all department heads to facilitate a smooth running and strong, sustainable organization. We look forward to exciting growth for BAI and a more involved community presence. 
