Already Framed in Joshua Tree
by Sandra Schulman
January 17, 2010

Rather than profile another artist this week, I’m going to recommend some great places to actually go and buy their stuff in Joshua Tree, the art center of the hi-desert. Most of these artists were on the Hwy 62 Art Tours this year, and there are some real finds at under $200.

Wish I could tell you to go to the Front Window Gallery, but finances, logistics and some major vandalism ended that venture – for now.

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The Mt. Fuji General Store gift show has gorgeous handmade goods from the likes of Krank Press, The Head Shop, Judy Wishart, Jean Loomis, Jean Bevel, Eden Batki, Christine Shields, Lorna Turner, Girl Witchbelly, Beijo Brasil, A Mano Trading Company and MORE talented artisans than have ever been assembled in the little shop and gallery. Mt. Fuji hopes to be THE place to come for anti-mass produced gift items this December. Custom gift baskets and gift certificates are also available.

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Right next door is True World Gallery, whose current show by painter Tina Bluefield is a knockout. Bluefield has small paintings for under $200, and the store carries great little bottle cap necklaces, t-shirts, jewelry by Mikal Winn and other talented locals.

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Across the street at Ricochet Wear is some of the best vintage and Western wear I’ve seen. Owner Tawnja has a great eye for quality pieces – I saw some colored velvet smoking jackets and beautiful embroidered Mexican felt jackets at jaw-droppingly low prices. Boots and hats and purses overflow on shelves and racks.

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Wind Walker has gotten really experimental and ambitious by opening another larger store on the north side of Hwy 62 selling Native American jewelry, blankets, pots and some local art in the back room. I was enchanted by their Native tree with colored flowers made of cornhusks in the windows.

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Down the road at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center is a bookstore chock full of spiritual items – inspirational cds and dvds, funky Guatemalan hats, crystal necklaces, incense and Buddha statues will surely please anyone’s inner and outer hippie.

One more gift to consider is the Mojave Desert Land Trust who are running an Adopt a Quail Mountain Animal or Mountain Acre project. For just $25 you can adopt a bobcat, sheep, coyote or tortoise. For a bigger chunk of change you can adopt (not actually buy) some of the precious Quail Mountain land they are trying to save. Visit www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org. It’s tax-deductible and you get a year membership to the Trust.