Free spirits and imaginative individualists have long reveled in the desert’s open spaces and minds. The qualities that draw artists also beckon those who appreciate their efforts. This combination of talent and taste sustains a thriving community of art galleries and a world-class museum.

As you explore the desert’s natural beauty, allow time to see artful treasures at Palm Springs Art Museum, as well as galleries of all stripes. Imago Galleries and Heather James Fine Art exhibit blue-chip contemporary and Pop in architecturally stunning spaces in Palm Desert.

The two galleries shoulder El Paseo, the shopping district known for its luxurious retailers. The boulevard’s galleries exhibit everything from early California Impressionism (Edenhurst Gallery) to Southwestern U.S. and Central and South American (Adagio Galleries) to many genres of U.S. and international contemporary works (Hohmann Fine Art, J. Willott Gallery, Melissa Morgan Fine Art, Coda Gallery, and A Gallery Fine Art). For more contemporary work, look for Michael H. Lord Gallery in Palm Springs and Royale Projects in Indian Wells.

Coda Gallery hosts a reception for artist Ben Steele on Dec. 26; the exhibition continues through Jan. 12, 2010.
 
COURTESY CODA GALLERY
Imago Galleries includes dynamic paintings by Charles Arnoldi among works by top contemporary U.S. artists, with an emphasis on California and studio glass.
 
COURTESY IMAGO GALLERIES