From high-quality paintings of oil and watercolors, photographs of our unique Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to handmade jewelry, ceramics and fabric art, all types of mediums took over Christmas Circle March 16 and 17, as a part of BASIC's annual 'Circle of Art Show and Sale.'

The Circle of Art is sponsored by Basic Assistance to Students in the Community (BASIC), a 501c(3) nonprofit tax-exempt corporation providing grants and scholarships for educational purposes to the residents of the Borrego Valley.

This outdoor fine art show celebrated its 30th year, where approximately 70 vendors and hundreds of visitors and community members gathered at the Circle to enjoy creative artworks by all the talented vendors.

While enjoying the different displays of artworks and the few food vendors, many had a picnic on the grass, thanks to Mother Nature, continuing to be kind with sunny skies and 70-degree temperatures. In previous years, the wind and shaded skies put a damper on the show.

R.P. Kidd exhibited art in what he calls, "Rust Never Sleeps," and it was one of the most unique and newest displays added to the show.

Kidd has a collection of original art in pen, ink and watercolor, depicting life and automobiles from the 20s through the 50s, framed in parts from those classic machines. He travels extensively, collecting materials for these frames, where he trims them to enhance the compositions and minimize the weight of it. The art is carefully mounted in plexiglass or sealed in resin for commercial or gardenscape display.

Brian Giberson, self-taught artist for over 40 years and co-founder of Indigo Lights, exhibited mixed media-type sculptures, which include household items such as a couch stand.

"Being an artist is not just what I do, it is who I am," Giberson stated. "The creation of objects of beauty and reflection is my highest calling and is what I believe I'm truly meant to do. I feel most alive and in tune with the world when I'm communing with the piece I am currently working on, breathing life into it, until it has a heartbeat of its own."

At the BASIC booth, those who attended had the chance to learn about the program and what they do to support the community. Displayed were poster winners from over the years for sale, with all proceeds going toward funding BASIC and providing scholarships.

This year, local Griff Lacey's photograph of "Borrego Celestial Serpent" was chosen as the 2019 Circle of Art Print of the Year. This is the seventh time a photograph was chosen.

It was yet another successful show put on by the hands of the BASIC committee members and volunteers, along with the vendors displaying and sharing their art for all to see.