Founders Foreward
There is something magical about making art in Joshua Tree. This famed desert landscape has lured and inspired painters and poets, musicians and mystics since the 30s, and native American artmakers for centuries. We found it to be true when we bought a run-down cabin on five acres in 2000. As a painter and a writer, we were hoping that respite from the city would a boon to our creativity. What we did not expect was to become conduits to creativity for hundred of artists from around the world.
We started the Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency with four fundamental goals in mind:
In 2021, we were honored to be presenting the selected works from 15 years of the residency at the San Bernardino County Museum. We are thankful to Alma Ruiz for lending her expertise to help curate the exhibition. We are proud to have played a part in the artists' careers, breakthroughs and creative directions. But most of all, we are grateful for the many friendships formed with these talented and innovative creators.
We started the Joshua Tree Highlands Artist Residency with four fundamental goals in mind:
- Offer group and solo residencies of six to seven weeks to culturally diverse contemporary artists from around the world at all stages of their careers, inclusive of work in all media, including drawing, painting, photography, film, video, new media, installation, fiction and nonfiction writing, interdisciplinary, social practice and architecture.
- Present an annual public exhibition showcasing the work created during the residency, curated by the artists to foster collaboration and build a network among each other and the vibrant Joshua Tree arts community.
- Increase the artist's awareness of environmental and political issues confronting the Mojave community, and enhance the artists' appreciation of the power of the arts to reveal the importance of preserving this unique landscape and its vulnerability to development
- Establish scholarship funds to offset artist's living expenses during the residency. Design inspirational living accommodations and studio spaces so arts can do the work of changing the cultural landscape and generating a fresh look at the way we connect to each other and to the world.
In 2021, we were honored to be presenting the selected works from 15 years of the residency at the San Bernardino County Museum. We are thankful to Alma Ruiz for lending her expertise to help curate the exhibition. We are proud to have played a part in the artists' careers, breakthroughs and creative directions. But most of all, we are grateful for the many friendships formed with these talented and innovative creators.