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Sculptures invite visitors to El Paseo in Palm Desert

Palm Desert El Paseo ArtSince 1996 Palm Desert has used the El Paseo median as an outdoor art museum of sorts, showcasing sculptures by artists from all over with its El Paseo Invitational.

“We always have artists from all over the country, but this year we have one from Israel and two from Canada, so it’s a very international show,” said Deborah Schwartz, public art coordinator for the city of Palm Desert.

Among the 18 artists whose sculptures make up the 2013-14 El Paseo Invitational are Rancho Mirage residents Tony and Karen Barone, Patrick Blythe of Palm Desert, Michael Anderson of Scottsdale, Ariz., creator of the “Desert Desserts” sculpture with time capsule in Palm Desert Civic Center Park.

Exhibiting artists were selected by the city’s Art in Public Places Commission from 55 applications. Palm Desert pays each artist an honorarium of $2,575 to exhibit their work.

Though the dedication won’t take place for a couple of months, breaking down the former exhibit and installing the new sculptures is time consuming, with four to five installed at one time.

The final pieces of the 2013-14 exhibit were scheduled to be installed Thursday. The dedication ceremony is planned for 6 p.m. Jan. 7 at The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert.

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