La Quinta prepares for annual art festival

LA QUINTA -- Frances Hack Park in La Quinta will soon be making its annual transformation from playground to outdoor art gallery as the 19th annual La Quinta Arts Festival returns to town.

More than 250 artists will showcase their work Thursday through Sunday.

Rommi Fleishman, director of marketing for La Quinta Arts Foundation, said the festival is expected to draw 30,000 visitors this year.
“This show has such a reputation for high-caliber art. The word has spread,” she said.
Proceeds from the festival will go toward art education outreach programs.
“This is our biggest fund-raiser. It equates to about 60 percent of our overall education funding for the year,” said Susan Francis, executive director of the art foundation.

Fleishman said more than 1,000 artists apply for the show, but only a selected few get in, including 11-year-old prodigy Alina Eydel.

“She’s has a very mature artistic level,” Fleishman said.
Many local artists are also included in the festival. La Quinta artist Eric Johnson has earned a spot six times and said this is one of the best festivals in the country.
Johnson, who was last year’s winner for sculpture, said it is a lot of hard work to prepare for the festival, but it is well worth it.
The four-day event also features live entertainment and children’s art activities.
Richard Guzmán covers Indio, Coachella and La Quinta for The Desert Sun. He can be reached at 775-4204.