9th Annual Call for Art, 2027, for the California Welcome Center Art Contest.

Annual Art Contest opens in February 2027

Judged Categories

Artist's paint palette with colorful paints, brushes, and a terracotta jar.

Painting

Vintage camera, film negatives, and photographic slides arranged over an open book.

Photography

Layered vintage papers, newspaper clippings, and a blank Polaroid-style frame.

Mixed Media

Colorful illustration of raised hands overlapping against a vibrant, multicolored background.

People's Choice

All submissions will be reviewed by independent judges.

Prizes & Recognition

Winning artists will receive prizes, recognition, and featured placement at the California Welcome Center ~ Yucca Valley.

Best in Category

Awarded in Painting, Photography, and
Mixed Media

People's Choice

Selected by visitors to the Welcome
Center

Artist Exposure

Displayed to over 30,000 annual visitors

2026 Winners

A glimpse of award-winning talent from previous years. View past winners.

Sue Feenstra — Desert landscape painting featuring Joshua trees, rugged rock formations, and yellow wildflowers beneath a bright blue sky.

Sue Feenstra

Painting

Glenn Hitchcock — photograph of rolling desert hills covered in orange wildflowers at sunset, with an abandoned wooden cabin in the foreground.

Glenn Hitchcock

Photography

Bruce Tate, mixed-media artwork combining a framed Mojave Desert landscape with a three-dimensional bouquet of colorful wildflowers.

Bruce Tate

Mixed Media

Kim Lowe — People's Choice category winner featuring a colorful painting of a large orange and yellow butterfly with patterned wings against a textured blue-gray background.

Kim Lowe

People's Choice