Borrego Springs, CA
Residents and visitors within the Coachella Valley sometimes look for a day trip to expand their experiences within the region.
Borrego Springs offers unique opportunities within an easy driving distance.
This column will focus on just two of the activities that can be visited within a day.
The Borrego Art Institute provides impressive California artists with an excellent platform for their work. The building is well designed for displays, airy — and dog friendly!
The current exhibit is Contemporary Latin American Art and it is well worth the trip from the Coachella Valley.
The photos below show a sampling of the wide range of styles and subject matter, from eye-popping color to landscapes and an evocative portrait.
The show is on until January 26, 2025. Outdoors, in the Anza Borrego desert, the metal sculptures of life-sized contemporary and prehistoric animals are magnificent. The creatures are joined by the superb sculpture of a Spanish Padre and his dog, a wonderful Indian Head, plus a fully realized off-road Jeep in action.
A must see masterpiece is the 350 foot long serpent emerging from the desert sand, like something from Dune. There are no fences around the properties and admission is free.
All of this is the work of Ricardo Breceda. The sculptures were commissioned by Dennis Avery, a wealthy visionary and philanthropist who bought and preserved the land on which the 130 sculptures rest. The open-air art is spread over 3 square miles in 3 separate sections of desert, just a few minutes drive from town.
Breceda’s work is now on display worldwide and we are incredibly fortunate to have so many pieces right in our “backyard.
A very helpful free guide to the sculptures and Borrego Springs is available from the Chamber of Commerce.
You can drive through or near most of the sculptures but it is best to wearing good walking shoes or boots for roaming about.
For more information about the metal sculptures and their locations, go to: www.borregospringschamber.com
For information about the Borrego Art Institute, go to: https://borregoartinstitute.org/
