Feb 20, 200604:50 PMThe Life

Local Art Galleries

The news comes that another local art gallery is closing its doors. Michael Hinkle, owner of The Figurative Gallery in Old Town La Quinta, hasn’t gotten the reception he hoped for when he became one of the earlier tenants of Old Town. As of March 1, he is returning to the Internet as his base of operations. It’s more than a personal loss; it’s a cultural loss for the valley as a whole. Palm Springs Life promotes the local art scene. In fact, this year’s edition of Art + Culture showcases local artists. But it takes more than a publication to support the kind of lifestyle and quality of life for which the desert has gained a reputation. Certainly there are wonderful galleries on El Paseo, but there’s also plenty of seriously good artwork elsewhere. For example, there’s Evocative Arts Gallery in Palm Springs, which opened a few months ago on Tahquitz Canyon Way between downtown’s main drags (Palm Canyon and Indian Canyon drives). More recently, Gallery One Eleven Fine Art opened in the Plaza at Point Happy in La Quinta. The gallery is a co-op of seven local artists who take turns manning the place. They are hosting an artists’ reception Feb. 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. Another example of local talent is at Palm Springs City Hall, which has on exhibition through the end of the month entries in the city’s annual Palm Springs Paints and Shoots competition. If we don’t support local art, galleries will close their doors and artists will be forced to find other avenues of income — whether that means getting a job doing something besides art, moving to a more art-loving community, or selling their work outside the valley. Surely there’s enough money in this valley to give local galleries and artists the economic boost they need to survive. Those who can’t afford to buy original artwork at least can show support by appreciating what’s being offered out there.

--Janice Kleinschmidt, Deputy Editor