DESERTX

"Do you want to go to an art scavenger hunt in the desert?" Without hesitation, my friend Jayne responded, "I'm in!"

A few weeks ago, I flew out to Palm Springs from New York, and Jayne drove to the desert from her home in Los Angeles.  We immediately got to the task of locating sixteen different site-specific artworks, the Desert Exhibition of Art (or DesertX), which were sprinkled throughout the Coachella Valley. Our favorites are shown here: Tavares Strachan's I Am, Phillip K. Smith III, The Circle of Land and Sky, Doug Aitken's Mirage, and Claudia Comte's Curves and Zigzags, which I painted a dress to match.

The most fun part of the whole experience was driving through the desert to locate the works.  Even though the exhibition had a map, there was still some creative visualization involved in pinpointing the exact location of some of the pieces.  Being told to watch out for scorpions was another high point.  It was so interesting to see how the various artists created site-specifics works, and the different themes that emerged throughout.  All in all, it was a unique experience, and I'm looking forward to the next edition of Desert X!

Photos by Jayne Clark.

ISIS OASIS

Isis depicted with outstretched wings (wall painting, c. 1360 BCE)

I had a very unique experience over the weekend, when I spent the night at the Isis Oasis Retreat Center, in Geyserville, CA.  In their words, the Isis Oasis is an animal sanctuary, non-profit temple, and community center guided by the Divine Feminine, the goddess Isis - around whom the entire operation is based.

Isis is the Egyptian goddess of health, marriage, and wisdom (also associated with nature and magic) and her name means "throne".  She married her brother Osiris and is the mother of Horus, the falcon god associated with kingship.  She was worshiped throughout Egyptian times, up until the present day, and is depicted countless times throughout Art History - commonly in hieroglyphics with her arms outstretched.

Isis is the theme of the retreat center, and there are two temples dedicated to her on site.  I enjoyed exploring the grounds, and using the opportunity to get closer to nature - and experience some solitude outside of the city.

Photos by William Sealy.

SALVATION MOUNTAIN

Yesterday, I drove to the middle of nowhere in California -- out of the glistening pools of Palm Springs; past the suburbs of Coachella; through farm land, then desert land; past date plantations; along the Salton Sea, riddled with abandoned property, to finally reach one of the greatest folk art treasures in the United States: Salvation Mountain.

Situated in a community characterized by both poverty and divergence from the system, Salvation Mountain stands as a monument to one man's dedication to his faith and determination to tell the story of Jesus.  Created over the span of 30 years by Leonard Knight (1931-2014), Salvation Mountain is made of clay from the earth mixed with straw and covered with hundreds and hundreds of gallons of latex paint.  It is a fragile monument set upon a dune in the middle of the desert, and has faced imminent ruin many times.  Since Mr. Knight's death in 2014, it is presided over by a non-profit organization, which helps to maintain the site and share Mr. Knight's story of diligence and perseverance and above all else, faith.

In anticipation of my visit to the site (which I'd been longing to see for many years), I made a necklace inspired by Mr. Knight's work of art.  While creating this miniature replica of a tiny piece of Salvation Mountain, I couldn't help but marvel at the determination and skill with which Mr. Knight wrangled a barren sand dune into a colorful homage.

Photos by Hilary Pollack.