Agnes Pelton Landscapes

Agnes Pelton (1881–1961) is best known for her spiritual abstract paintings, yet during her thirty years residing near Palm Springs, she painted desert landscapes in addition to her abstract work.

She viewed these two styles—abstraction and realism—as complimentary forms of expression that informed one another. Inspired by the exploration and study of her immediate environment, Pelton employed color and light as essential means of expression in both of her approaches to painting. “In the bloom of the desert,” she declared, “I found a natural expression of that color radiance I have tried to develop in my abstract painting.”

Pelton had a high regard for the natural beauty surrounding her and believed that every place had its own aura—which she referred to as “the voice of locality.” She tried to convey this in both her landscape and abstract landscape paintings, which she referred to as “my deserts.” Pelton was especially fond of capturing the expansive vistas that stretched out to the horizon, the shroud of purple blooms that encased smoke trees in June, and the ancient timeless character of desert willows.

This exhibition showcases twenty-four of Pelton’s landscape and floral paintings as well as pastel drawings from the museum’s permanent collection and loaned by local private collectors. This presentation compliments the touring exhibition Agnes Pelton: Desert Transcendentalist, currently being shown at Palm Springs Art Museum, providing visitors an opportunity to explore the unique relationship between Pelton’s two forms of expression—realism and abstraction.

This exhibition was organized by Palm Springs Art Museum and curated by Christine Giles, Senior Curator.

Support is provided by Joann Gray & Sheldon Harmatz.

This season’s exhibitions are sponsored by the Herman & Faye Sarkowsky Charitable Foundation.