Mojave National Preserve Artist Residency
The view from my room at the Desert Studies Center in Zzyzx, California. I looked out over the dry soda lake and natural springs.
I was honored to serve at the Mojave National Preserve Artist in Residence from March-April 2017. During my month-long residency, I visited remote sites throughout the preserve, hiking to seeps, springs, and vernal pools. I was privileged to witness record rainfall and the beginnings of California’s amazing superbloom.
I was housed at Zzyzx, CA at the Desert Studies Center for the month of February. Using maps, historical data, and lots of research, I visited reliably flowing springs in the preserve and due to the rainfall, lucked into several ephemeral pools and snow melt areas.
Bathtub Spring, a very fitting name for a spring, was seated in an old mining trough and filled with algae.
I collected samples from these water sources and then created painted both from live observation and recorded images and videos of the microorganisms I found. The Mojave’s water features some of the most diverse microscopic life I have ever examined.
The Mojave has a long history of habitation from the first peoples to present day mining sites. I took inspiration from the Mojave petroglyphs and many historic structures and artifacts in the area to form my painted motifs.
My exhibition Cell Portrait, Mojave National Preserve was featured as a solo show March-April 2017 at the Desert Light Gallery in the Mojave National Preserve’s headquarters at the historic Kelso Depot site.
Download the Desert Light Newsletter PDF for a full write up of my project.
