The Candlewood Arts Festival returns to the Anza Borrego Desert on March 23, with commissioned public art works as well as a gallery exhibition of art by local youth. The Festival, sponsored by Under The Sun Foundation, will include a performance, workshops, an artists’ talk, and an opening party for visitors and residents to experience contemporary art together in the unique desert community of Borrego Springs. The Candlewood Arts Festival, named for the fragrant ocotillo that dots the landscape around Borrego Springs, takes its cues from the generous spirit of the Sky Art sculptures in Galleta Meadows. The festival, meant for audiences of all ages, aims to inspire new ways of seeing and understanding the unique landscape and community of Borrego Springs, for locals and visitors alike. The artists, who all live and work in Southern California, were chosen for their ability to develop projects that thoughtfully and meaningfully connect with the people and environment of Borrego Springs.

ABOUT UNDER THE SUN FOUNDATION

Under The Sun Foundation is a non-profit organization inspired by the work of Dennis Avery, the late landowner of Galleta Meadows in Borrego Springs, founded by three of his children – Halina, Chris, and Theo Avery. Dennis Avery commissioned artist Ricardo Breceda to produce 130 large scale, free-standing, metal sculptures and referred to them as Sky Art. Spread over 1500+ acres of undeveloped desert land, these larger than life creations welcome the public to discover and enjoy art outdoors, surrounded by the rich and diverse desert environs of Borrego Springs. The Under the Sun Foundation seeks to breathe new life and meaning into the existing sculptures. Using Dennis Avery’s work and Borrego Springs as a point of inspiration, Under the Sun expects to add new geographies, artistic endeavors, and ways to engage with our environment and one another over the coming years. More information can be found on the Foundation’s website at http://www.underthesunfoundation.org.

FOR INQUIRIES AND FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Kris Kuramitsu: kris.kuramitsu@gmail.com

Saturday March 23:

* 10 a.m. to Noon – Borrego Unity Run: The Performance by Karla Diaz, Galleta Meadows, corner of Big Horn Road and Di Giorgio Road

– Join artist Karla Diaz for an event that celebrates the stories of the people who make up the vibrant community of Borrego Springs. Diaz’s participatory performance is a guided tour through histories of labor and community as they relate to the unique environment of the Anza Borrego desert.

* 11 a.m. to Noon and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – Visit with Artist Debra Scacco, Galleta Meadows, corner of Big Horn Road and Di Giorgio Road

– Artist Debra Scacco will be present to talk with visitors about her sculpture inspired by the stories of water embedded in the land around Borrego Springs, newly commissioned for this year’s Festival

* Noon to 2 p.m. – Drop-in Painting Workshop with Pearl C. Hsiung, The Candlewood Gallery at The Mall – 587 Palm Canyon Drive, 2nd Floor

– Join artist Pearl C. Hsiung to create a collaborative painting inspired by the patterns of ocotillo and cholla branches. We will be using oak gall ink, a substance derived from the galls growing on oak trees used in manuscripts and paintings since ancient times.

* 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Artists’ Panel, Community Room, Borrego Springs Library – 2580 Country Club Road

– A lively conversation between the artists of this year’s Festival.

* 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Festival Opening Reception, The Candlewood Gallery at The Mall – 587 Palm Canyon Drive

– Celebrate Candlewood and the opening of the gallery exhibition, including student artists from Borrego Springs High School alongside artists from past and current editions of the Candlewood Arts Festival, including Tanya Aguiñiga, Sherin Guirguis, Nery Gabriel Lemus, Star Montana, noé olivas, Fay Ray, Devon Tsuno, Allison Wiese and more.