Now Showing: Celebrating Earth's Elements and The Annual ABF Photo Contest Exhibition of Photos February 2 - 24, 2019 Gallery Hours : Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 - 4:00 CLOSED MONDAYS |
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!
What's New at BAI?
MARCH MEANS PLEIN AIR INVITATIONAL Once again Plein Air artists will descend on Borrego to paint for a week beginning March 3, You will spot them all over town, up in the canyons, on the street, here, there and everywhere, capturing Borrego scenes in oil, pastel and watercolors. The awards presentation will be held Saturday evening, March 9, 5-7:30. To find out who the artists are and for more information go to our Plein Air page Plein Air Invitational Plein Air Workshop, Painting the Desert Landscape with Aaron Schuerr on Sunday, March 10, 8 am to 4 pm. Get ready to explore the desert with award winning artist Aaron Schuerr. Find "the story" in the landscape and paint it in a way that is direct, simple, fresh, and honest. Engage in fun exercises designed to focus on value, color, and shape. From that foundation, you'll explore edges, atmospheric perspective, color and shape relationships, composition and mood. Most importantly you'll learn to paint with greater intention. Through demonstrations, painting exercises, and individual instruction, you will learn to approach the landscape in enthusiasm and confidence. Instruction in oil and pastel. Cost: $150. Email: gallery@borregoartinstitute.org to sign up, pay and receive a materials list.  Congratulations to Jeanette Phillips of Polson,Montana, our Customer Appreciation winner for January! Each month we will hold a customer appreciation drawing from entries submitted by gallery customers. Our Gift Shop has new work arriving daily and sales have been brisk. It's a good place to pick up those unique one-of-a-kind art pieces for which we have become known.
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, and free admission to seminars and demonstrations. To become a member, go to Join Us in the menu at the top, click on Become a Member.
February will bring an expanded show of the Clay and Glass show that we have had in the past. This year we will celebrate Earth's Elements: Clay, Glass, Wood, Metal, Fiber. The show runs February 2-24. Showing in conjunction with Earth's Elements is the annual Anza Borrego Foundation Photo Contest exhibit of winning photographs. This is a good source to purchase outstanding photographs of the Anza-Borrego Desert. Sculpture artist Lynn Creighton , who had a showing of her bronzes of women in conjunction with the Plein Air Invitational last Spring, will return in March 2019 for a showing of her new series of bronzes.
Spring has come to the ArtFarm A BIG Thank You to everyone who attended the volunteer meetings and helped with spring plantings! The garden is set up nicely with all the raised beds, and a new in-ground bed, fully planted. As soon as soil temperatures rise a few degrees we will fill in with seeds and prepare additional vegetable beds between the orchard rows. Speaking of the Orchard...
Nectarine trees are in bloom and Apple, Peach, Apricot, Fig, and Pomegranate are all starting to bud! Please stop by the garden, find beauty in the vegetables, photograph the orchard blossoms, and lend a hand. There are plenty of opportunities for watering, weeding, general upkeep, and very soon - harvesting the spring vegetables. Starting the week of February 11th we will be rebuilding the water basins for each of the trees and improving the soil. It's an exciting time to become involved in the development of the art farm - if you are able to volunteer, please send an email or stop by and say hello!
Beets and carrots from the winter growing season Calling all Tractor Owners! ArtFarm needs the ground tilled for row crops between the orchard trees. Do you or a neighbor have a small tractor or tiller to lend? The area is prepped and it will take less than one hour with a small tractor. The ArtFarm vegetables will be forever grateful - Please email or stop by to find out more. On a smaller scale, the ArtFarm continues to rely on your generosity for its success. Please take a look at our current donation list and if you have some extra supplies at your home and no way to get them to the garden, we are happy to pick up. Thank you for your support!
Larger projects are also underway and being supported through donations. If you are interested in becoming a supporter of a larger project, please let us know! These projects include:
| 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. The restaurant is open Monday - Friday, 11:00 am to 9:00 pm and Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 am to 9:00 pm. 760-767-7600. Kesling's Kitchen is now doing Weekend Brunch. With the start of the season, Kessling is now serving "Not Quite Lunch" on Saturdays and Sundays, 8:30 am to 11:00 am. To see their wonderful and delicious offering, go to their menu at Not Quite Lunch Menu Kesling's Kitchen 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 month of February is photographer Luciano Demasi of San Diego, CA.
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. An unveiling ceremony is scheduled for March 23 at 3:00. The community is invited to become involved. Stop in at the Pottery studio in the Mall (just east of Kendals Cafe) and join in the fun...or just see the mural in progress. To follow along with the story of the mural, click on The Pottery. 2019 SEASON SCHEDULE 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.
MISS BORREGO PAGEANT SHINES BECAUSE OF KIDSART PROGRAM BAI art teacher Leslie Duncan and the art program kids decorate the Pagaent stage each year. 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
hael Horton
WELCOME NEW and RENEWED MEMBERS: January: Kari Koskinen...Jamul, CA Christie Barber...Borrego Springs Elaine Yates...Blaine, WA Jon Moor...Borrego Springs Deborah Behnke...Julian, CA Catherine Smith...San Diego, CA Yvette Murillo...San Diego, CA Luciano Demasi...San Diego, CA Deborrah Henry...Encinitas, CA Gail Cortelyou...Palm Desert, Mary Kaplan...Laramie, WY Rebecca Alzofon...Borrego Springs Ronda Armold...Borrego Springs Charlynne Dean...Borrego Springs Jeffrey Siegel...San Diego, CA Barbara Engelke...Borrego Springs Lynn Dee...Borrego Springs Warren Bakley...San Diego, CA February: James Thomas...Huntington Beach, CA Herb Stone...Borrego Springs Elizabeth Lawrence...Borrego Springs Albert Dean...Borrego Springs Gretchen Grawunder...Vista, CA Sally Walsh...Los Angeles, CA Anne Garcia...Julian, CA Michael Horton...Julian, CA DONORS CORNER 2018 Donations: |
