La Quinta Arts Festival shines this weekend

More than 200 top artists are showing off their works this weekend at the 35th annual La Quinta Arts Festival.

The La Quinta event is the nation’s top 3-ranked festival, and underway at La Quinta’s Civic Center Campus, offering something for anyone who loves fine art.

CJ Rench is this year’s Best of Show artist and is showing off his latest Happy Human series sculpture inspired by his daughter. It features a dad throwing his daughter into the air.

“It’s also kinetic on the top and bottom,” Rench said continuing “This is a piece that’s obviously very dear to my heart. And we’ve placed a few large one at YMCA’s, and public pools, anywhere kids are involved.”

Rench shows his works at only one show a year. And for him, La Quinta is the place to be.

“These are people who know and enjoy and understand art. It’s a beautiful. Not to mention the setting. It’s fabulous,” said Rench.

Rench says the festival is a fantastic place to meet people from Europe, Asia , and Canada.

He’s among the 220 artists, selected from a juried pool of more than a thousand, all wanting to present their own art to the public here.

The La Quinta Arts foundation uses proceeds from the event to award arts scholarships, $1.23 million to date.

Genna Grushovenko said, “We’re on the poster and Best of Painting. It’s like we’re king of the hill.”

Genna and his wife Signe Grushovenko came to La Quinta from Greenville, South Carolina to show off their paintings mainly inspired by vernacular photography.

“Not studio photos, or artist photos but family photos, snapshots, that sort of thing,” said Signe.

He paints the plaid washes of color background. She paints the opaque layer over that.

Genna said, “It’s a very good way to make a living you know if you do what you love.”

It’s a mid-winter work vacation for the couple while enjoying our sunshine.

“This is sort of what I grew up wanting to do,” said Signe. “I’ve always enjoyed drawing and painting. I feel pretty honored that I actually get to do that as my living,” Signe continued.

Festival gates are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $17 for a single day admission or $22 for a multi-day pass. Children 12 and under get in free.

You can purchase tickets and find out more information on the festival at https://www.lqaf.com/cultural-events/la-quinta-arts-festival .