Michelle and Troy Pence

Tomorrow is the start of the first weekend of the 9th Open Studio Art Tours!  We can't believe it's here already.  For those of you who are without programs, you should be able to pick one up at many of the local art galleries and shops.  There will also be an ample supply out in front of the Donation=Creation Art Store, located in Joshua Tree, slightly east of the Joshua Tree Post office.  The address is 61325 Hwy. 62 in Joshua Tree.  Welcome to the Hwy. 62 Art Tours, everyone!

One stop you will want to mark on your map this weekend is the studio of Michelle and Troy Pence, #17 in the program.

Troy and Michelle Pence

Michelle and Troy Pence have found their version of paradise in Joshua Tree.  Their fenced-in property is home not only to the two artists, but also to a dog or two, a timber wolf, a bullying rooster, three tortoises, and a hungry sheep who ate part of my notes.  The studio, which sits in front of the main house, was a homestead cabin.  It has now become the birth place for the unique art of these two charming people.

The sheep who ate part of my notes.

Michelle Pence works in styrofoam.  She carves and paints the styrofoam, sometimes even adding texture with coffee grounds or sawdust mixed with paint.  Michelle has a way of transforming something as ordinary as styrofoam into fascinating bas-relief paintings.  Most of the materials Michelle uses are recycled.  The styrofoam comes from a company that makes pool covers.  She uses a variety of different paints, including house paint.  Michelle has been working in styrofoam since 1999.  She loves animals, flowers and designs, and will sometimes look for ideas on the internet.

Michelle Pence.  Styrofoam tortoise shell.

Michelle in her studio.

Michelle has shown her work at Metro S.C.R.A.P. gallery in Indio, and both she and Troy show at the 29 Palms Gallery.  They have both taught art and music at Angel View in Joshua Tree.  They have been in the high desert for one year.   Troy and Michelle have been married for six years.  They met at S.C.R.A.P., where Michelle worked.  For their wedding invitations, they made the paper and envelopes the invitations were printed on.  They included seeds in the hand-made paper, so the invitations could be planted.  I admire the way these two artists lead a life that is so integrated with art.  Not only are they both artists, but they both sing and love music.

Troy Pence is a painter and metal sculptor.  He paints in oil, watercolor and acrylic, and has been painting since 1990, when his aunt gave him his grandfather's oil paints and brushes.   Troy comes from a family of artists.  His uncle and grandfather were both oil painters, his mother paints on porcelain, and his father is a cabinet maker.  His interest in art began in high school.  His family opened an art gallery to sell his uncle's paintings, and because of the gallery, Troy's painting became even more important to him.  Troy is a self-taught artist.  His art has been exhibited in the libraries in Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, the Indio Museum, and 29 Palms Gallery, to name only a few venues.  He has had his work purchased by people all over the United States, Canada and Europe.

Troy Pence.  Abstract painting in one of his metal frames.

Troy Pence.  Abstract painting.

Troy's metal assemblage sculpture is shown in Laguna Beach at the Mint.  He has an avid interest in recycling, and you will be surprised at what he does with objects that have been discarded.  His approach to all of his art, whether it be painting or sculpture, is to focus on the basic shapes.  This approach seems to be working well for him.   In addition to his metal sculpture, Troy also makes his own frames out of metal.  Many of his paintings are frames in this unique frames.

Troy Pence, metal "shovel" tortoises.

More of Troy's metal assemblage sculpture.

Allen and Mita Barter

Allen and Mita Barter truly live the good life, and they prove that you don’t have to be a millionaire to do it.  With an eclectic, former homesteader in Twentynine Palms, a cabin in Big Bear and a beach shack in Baja, they have achieved the perfect locational triangle for high desert living.

They moved to Twentynine Palms thirty-two years ago, when Allen accepted a position teaching art at Twentynine Palms Continuation High School.  Mita worked for the school system as well, starting as an instructional assistant for severely handicapped students and then becoming a library technician at the Twentynine Palms Junior High.   Along the way they raised two sons: Nicholas, now a Waldorf teacher in northern California and Markland, a purchasing agent for Southwest Airlines.  The boys were willing accomplices in many of Mita’s early art/home renovation projects.

The Barters took full advantage of their school vacations and summers off to travel extensively throughout the years, and continue their peripatetic lifestyle in retirement.  In fact, this interview was scheduled at least a month in advance, to coincide with a brief intermission in this summer’s wanderings. 

Allen Barter in front of his artwork.

Allen has been making art since his college days, and is no stranger to the sometimes controversial nature of artistic expression.  In the late 70’s, he erected a temporary half-bridge across Chico Creek (with the permission of the president of Chico State University) which landed him in hot water with the Sierra Club (of which he was a card-carrying member at the time).  Later, some of the old guard in Twentynine Palms found a nude triptych offensive. 

The female form continues to be a dominant motif in Allen’s work.  Currently, he is working with cement to create three-dimensional nudes which also incorporate metal and other found objects.  He is inspired by the work of Jackson Pollack, and seeks to emulate the fluidity of Pollack’s canvases in his assemblages.

Allen’s work has been shown in the Tanno Gallery, a juried show in San Felipe, the gallery at Chico State, and in a joint show with Mita at Wonder Valley’s Glass Outhouse Gallery, entitled “Allen and Mita in Wonderland”.

Prior to retiring in 2003, Mita considered her primary artistic expressions to be the creation of her amazing home and her cooking.  Now, Mita has gone from shelving books to cutting them up for use in her tiny assemblages, which she calls “Rusty Bits”.  Each of these works starts with a rusty can, often a sardine can, and a background, which could be anything from an old piece of roofing tile to an antique map fragment.  Words cut from books drive the theme of the piece, which is then embellished with ornaments and fragments of found objects.   Phrases sometimes are discovered fully formed in books, but often come together mysteriously in a way that  gives Mita goosebumps.  Her studio is a wonderland of tiny castoffs, the gleanings from yard sales and swap meets, friends’ junk drawers and jewelry boxes.  When asked to describe her art, Mita once said, “I make things out of nothing”, to which the listener replied, “No, you make things out of everything!”

Mita at work, cutting words for her assemblage.

Mita’ work has been shown at the Twentynine Palms Inn, and currently can be found in two Joshua Tree galleries, The True World Gallery and Woods in the Desert.  Come and visit their wonderful studio on the first weekend, October 23rd and 24th.

written by Bonnie Kopp

Vigall Arts, Barbara Wells-Roberts and Arts Contemporary

Ric, Tim, and Molly Vigallon

This year, there will be a number of venues on the tour where you will get to see several different artists who are showing together.  One venue where you get more "bang for your buck" is the studio of Vigall Arts.  The metal art created by the Vigallons is distinctive.  The Vigallons work as a contemporary artisan workshop.  Ric Vigallon, his brother, Tim, and his daughter Molly all contribute to the creation of the distinctive metal sculptures that Vigall Arts is renowned for.  Ric's wife Susan is primarily the business manager, keeping track of the books, upcoming shows, and correspondence.   It is not often that you see a family working together as a team, and it is something that sets the Vigallons apart.

The beautiful colors and patinas of Vigall Art.

The metal sculptures made by the Vigallons are primarily representational sculptures.  The specialty of the studio is wildlife, especially aquatic wildlife.  The colors, textures and patinas are what really sets these metal pieces apart.  The sculptures are all created from Stainless steel and aluminum.  Dyes and acid are used to create distinctive finishes that gleam in the sunshine.  Most of the sculptures are hanging sculptures that can be displayed outside, where the translucent qualities of the colors can be fully appreciated.

The Vigallons work seven days a week.  They truly love what they do, and are happiest working for themselves.  They travel throughout California, Nevada and Arizona, selling their art and doing commissions to make their living.  Ric Vigallon has been doing his metal sculpture professionally for about 16 years.   Prior to working as an artist, he worked in a sheet metal fabrication shop, where they made metal casing for computer cases, medical equipment and the like.  When he was laid off from the fabrication shop, it was a blessing in disguise, because that is when he first began working for himself, making metal sculpture. 

When you visit the Vigallons' studio during the art tours, you will probably have a chance to see demonstrations of some of the processes used in the creation of one of these special sculptures.  One of the things that makes the Open Studio Art Tours so special is the opportunity it presents for us to have an insider's look at how and where art is created.  This is something that no other art venue offers.    

Ric Vigallon using a plasma cutter to cut out a seahorse.

Molly, polishing the surface.

Treating the surface with dye.  (I can't remember whose hand this is - Tim?  Is that you?)

Barbara Wells-Roberts

Barbara Wells-Roberts, holding one of her handmade quilts.

Wells-Roberts is a photographer and a quilter, but her creative interests also include jewelry-making, painting, and sculpture.  She was an art major in college, and taught art for many years before she and her husband retired in the desert.  Now she finally has the time to pursue the things that have always interested her.  Barbara's quilts are mostly her original designs, although she does sew some of the more traditional patterns.  She has sewn since she was a child.  Her mother taught her to sew.  Now she is an award-winning quilter, creating quilts that are considered "innovative quilts."   In her quilting, as well as in her photography, it is color that is exciting for her.  She enjoys exploring color and the way the different colors interact.  Intense color especially motivates her.

Wells-Roberts' photographs are primarily photographs of the desert and photography of China.  The photographs of China were mostly taken when her husband worked in China.  They lived there for three years.  She has been taking photographs all her life.  She sells notecards of her photographs at Purple Agave in Morongo Valley.

Young Coyote by Wells-Roberts

Arts Contemporary

Arts Contemporary is representing the work of two artists,  William Allex and Vida Allex.  Their son, Chris, wanted a chance to show the art of his parents, who are now deceased.

William Allex, an artist who worked primarily in oil, grew up in Philedelphia.  The influence of abstract expressionism is evident in his paintings, which have strong landscape and figurative elements.  William earned a BFA and MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts/University of Pennsylvania, and has work in the collections of General Motors, Century Paramount Hotel and even Kaiser Foundation.  Both William and Vida Allex have had their work exhibited widely in New York and California.  They worked on their art independently, but frequently exhibited together.   They are both represented by Abney Galleries in New York City.

Vida Allex worked in acrylic painting, poetry and wood sculpture.  She was born in New York City and was also influenced by the Abstract Expressionists.  Vida was self taught.  She was involved in theosophy and mysticism, and her art is a reflection of this.  Her intent with the sculpture was to define man in relation to the universe.  Chris Allex hopes to have a book of Vida's award-winning poetry ready in time for the October Art Tours.   William and Vida Allex lived in Apple Valley for over twenty-five years.   There will not be originals for sale during the Art Tours, however, limited prints of the work of these two prestigious artists will be available.

This group of artists at Vigall Arts will be showing the first weekend of the Art Tours, October 23rd and 24th from 9 to 5 pm.  

written by Karine Swenson