With all the art events happening this summer in the Antelope Valley, a bunch of opportunities crop up – to participate and show art, to see art, to support the artists in our community… and also to ask what the art being made right now in the Antelope Valley is all about.
Of course, there is no single theme or idea that orients every artist making art in Lancaster, Palmdale, Quartz Hill, Rosamond and the Valley towns. There is no single style either. Despite the fact that many artists end up making “western art” or desert art in one way or another, the approaches brought to these scenes are almost always different. And a majority of artists don’t make western or desert art at all. They make something else entirely.
That doesn’t mean the question is meaningless if we ask what comment may underlay the art here. It’s possible to find a partial answer and it’s possible that the partial answer might be exciting – illuminating even – or at least interesting.
Art is, to some extent, always a conversation. Right? So, what are people saying?
That’s what I am going to have in my head when I take in the art at the many art events happening around town in the next weeks and months. Maybe some of the resulting thoughts will end up here at the AV Arts Blog.
In any case, there is plenty of opportunity to mull over what the artists of the Antelope Valley are putting out there this summer.
Antelope Valley artists are out in full force lately in Lancaster, Palmdale and Quartz Hill. While a recent push to establish an Art Walk on the BLVD did not completely come together, other more modest projects are happening. 
The Regarding Us Chain Letter Project spearheaded a summer of art events on July 11th, put together in cooperation with the folks at the Outpost, an LA County initiative partnering with Otis College.
The Regarding Us Chain Letter Project is a self-curated group exhibition celebrating creativity in the Antelope Valley. The process began with a small group of artists who were initially invited to show their work by community engagement artist Rebecca Niederlander. This group then each invited 5 artists to also participate. Those 5 invited 5 more artists, thus leading to your invitation. The process will continue on with more invitations until the installation date. The result is an exponentially massive, community-curated project filled with work by an extraordinary array of Antelope Valley creatives. The Regarding Us Chain Letter Project is a part of Antelope Valley Art Outpost, a creative placemaking project that supports regional vitality in the Antelope Valley. For more information about this and other Outpost programs, visit www.lacountyarts.org/outpost.
This gallery show is set to remain up for a brief period of time (through August 23rd), so be sure to get over to the BLVD and check it out while you can.
Following on the heels of the Regarding US Chain Letter Project, Sagebrush Café is set to host several art events before the month is out. On July 19th, a group of artists
is putting together an inspirational and educational show on the topic of WATER.
“In the near future water will be worth more than Gold. In California, a state that has always had a complicated relationship with wealth, class, and water, we would like to invite you to envision a world where we wear small vials of water instead of diamonds, where we dress ourselves in fishbowls, and our designer handbags our replace with bottle waters.
Join us for this interactive art party on Sunday July 19th at Sagebrush Café from 10 to Noon.”
Drop offs for an open invitation community art show are taking place on the same day, Sunday, July 19th.
Open Invitation Art Show: Sagebrush Cafe is putting out a call to Antelope Valley artists to participate in an open invitation art show this month. 25 spaces are available. First come, first serve.
Enter a two-dimensional work of art in any medium on any family friendly subject.
Check out the details at our website: sagebrush-cafe.com/arts
Drop off days are July 19-20. Opening reception on Saturday, July 25 at 5 p.m.
Butlers Coffee Shop in Palmdale hosts regular themed art shows on a roughly four-month cycle.
Do not forget the theme of Butler’s Coffee’s next art exhibit in September….”Music and Dance”. The current exhibit at the cafe is “Mythology and Fairy Tales”.
Art lovers and artists of the Antelope Valley are probably aware of some of these events. There are many chances to get your work out there, artists, and many chances to engage with local art and artists, art lovers. The Antelope Valley may not wear its art-haven identity on its sleeve, exactly, but more and more its this identity seems to be asserting itself here in the high desert.
Antelope Valley Arts 