New mØsAi© workshop in the high desert… a®t, ßeauty, yOga..

A new workshop and a new look at RAVEN moSai©s Please click it and SEE more about a ßeaµtiƒul get-a-way to wOnder valley for yOga, mOsai©s and gOOd ƒood. Speaking of ƒood there has been a lot on my plate… HWY 62 Art Tours and new mosai©S, nEw pOst©ards, new photographs, new ceramics…  and I will be exhibiting at Casa Magazine on ƒirst Thursday in October in Santa ßarabara… and did I say mOsai© wOrkShop ?!?!? Makes my head spin. But I look ƒorward to seeing you all !!! somEpla©e and sOme†ime…

Stµpa Dhøøpa †®aVel †emPle

The travel temple took it’s maiden voyage and all I can say is, “©osmic wheels” Doug and I have been wO®king hAr∂ on ge††ing the t®Avel †emple rea∂ie∂ fO® ßµ®ning mAn. We’®e hoping to pA®k on Lineage at 8′O©lo©k.

Workshop and new mosaic tile work

First of all a huge THANK YOU to Diana from Native Tile for gifting me so many tiles… it’s an unfathomable gift to a mosaic artist. I have shared with my students and a few friends but will use the rest to finish my desert house and the beach/oak house as well. Thank you to husband for cooking the meals at the workshop.. yum yum !!

The workshop over the weekend was non-stop intensive with eager students and high energy. Walked in the park as the moon rose after a LONG day of working the pieces to completion. Cathy made a large piece to take home and grout and her friend Marsha did her first piece ever, taking it apart at dinner time and re-gluing some new pieces on to her creation. Emma Jane and Rich of IYSSB yoga studio, created their first ever table top… “gorgeous!” I say! Dana, local, framer from 29 Palms came back to participate in her second workshop, continues making amazing table tops and counters and frames everyone’s art in the desert!!! at Bowden Frame Shop on HWY 62

Pictures of the weekend and my finished piece back in Santa Barbara… couldn’t get pics of the finished work of the others as the morning ensued with grout and much frantic goings on in the bright, hot, sun. Waiting for pictures from Cathy and the rest of the bunch. Here’s mine for now and a few pics from the iPhone during creation mode…

my Ganesh incense alter

One of my buddha heads ended up in Cathy's piece, as she just HAD to have it!

Dana's work in progress.

Rich and Emma's table top in progress...

Rich "third eye wide open in a yoga pose / you show us how to focus so the lotus unfolds / in deep concentration with breath control / returning to the source now you feel the force flow / when Jiva meets Shiva opposites become whole / singing Om Namah Shivaya Shivaya Namah Om /" - mc yogi

Mosaic Workshops in the desert

Come learn mosaics from a multi-media artist in an inspirational environment. A place of magic. Perry has been giving mosaic workshops for 5 years in the Mojave desert and Santa Barbara. He has been working in clay and tile and mosaics with his home for over 10 years now and it is a living evolving piece of work. Color and pattern take the eye on a visual adventure at Perry’s desert retreat. Inside/out.   You can also bring your own tent and camp on the land at the Tile House and still enjoy the civilized mosaic shower and hot tub.

We begin with dinner on Friday at 5 – followed by an introduction into the world of mosaics, the materials and tools then with goggles over eyes we proceed to BREAK tile… music on… QUESTions  !?!?!?
Get up early Saturday for breakfast and good strong coffee and continue projects. We break for a picnic lunch.  Saturday evening before sunset, if we’ve finished our piece, we head up to Joshua Tree for a short hike, return for dinner and a bonfire at the Tile House! We grout and finish our projects on Sunday, enjoy a last lunch together and you’re on the road by 2pm. All weekend workshops include meals and basic materials for a variety of projects.

Staying in Tile House, meals included and all materials is $350
Staying in your own tent meals and hot tub amenities included and all materials $250

Not staying with us? Not eating with us? JUST the WORKSHOP $150

$75 non-refundable deposit, (except towards another workshop date)

4 new images from the WVICA event.

Three new images from the weekend at WVICA event in the high desert. Printing, as we type, three new postcards commemorating the High Desert Test Site weekend and the California Biennial. Click the images to enlarge. Available only thru the artist, $5 gets you all 4 postcards signed, stamped and numbered. Postage included!!! What a deal. Limited Edition 100 only.

High Desert test Site at the Wonder Valley Institute Contemptorary Art

Miracles?!?! Disappearing curators at the edge of nowhere in a cabin on the high side of the Sheep Hole Pass in wonderland… the crew shows up at the final hour… miracle. Wonder Valley Institute is living up to the name, WONDER. I must say that Chris Veit’s friends REALLY knocked themselves out hanging sheet rock and art, arranging the landscape, and setting up a stage and lights and film. Miracles?!?!?! Obama is the President… Prop 8 goes to the dogs and the lawyers… Here are some images of the installation I did in response to my anger and hurt around Prop 8 and some pics of the folks getting ready…and then a quick tour inside the cabin at WVICA.

Beginning installation with paint flying in Wonder Valley wind.

Black goddess no longer...

White and Black goddesses swathed in paint and YES signs.

Gold Goddess

Pink and Blue Goddess

My shoes..

Coyote Melon

Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No

Getting ready for films...

Preparing for night to fall on the desert cabin.

Stills from the film.

Double Exposure

Double Exposed Gold Goddess and boy.

Sillouette

Early Evening Film Test

Zaina ?!?

Inside the cabin show at WVICA

Homestead Mosaic inside the cabin... WVICA

Nicole Panter

Chris Veit getting the lights ON at WVICA

Outside TV's and ufos ?!?

Birds and Snake rattles from the kiln.

Unloaded the kiln and what did I find? Birds and snakes and oh my… The “oh my” will be on display at Open Studio Tour in October.

Red Snake Rattle

Bird Rattle

Bird Rattle

Orange rimmed bowls.

4 orange-rimmed bowls

Grapefruit orange-rimmed bowl.

Little Himilayan Salt Pinch Bowls with orange peel outside.

double WORKSHOP madness … one HERE … one THERE …

The artist is pondering the idea of having the students help complete a part of the Tile House in the Wonder Valley workshop…

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The date was March 24, 2002, according to my digital records. My friends Michael Johnstone and David Faulk, San Francisco based artists came to visit my little homestead in Wonder Valley. They promised me a dress up too !!! David being the dress up queenPalm/planetaryEmpress, she got dolled up. Michael and I took out our cameras. I lit the bonfire.
NOW it’s August 2008 and I receive a postcard in the mail from Michael. My EYES wide, I see that there is a photo I took on the postcard…but no wait, it’s not mine, it’s Michael’s. Yer but no but yer but no but yer but no but. Yes, folks it was Michael’s image. The photo posted here with the fire is one I took at the same shoot in Wonder Valley… WHICH leads me to another fascinating detail – OPEN STUDIO TOUR is coming to the desert. Please don’t miss it. This is an adventure you need to take. You won’t be disappointed by the inspiring art and artists of the high desert in Wonder Valley, just under the cradled mountains and Joshua Tree National Park. Chris Carraher will be joining me in the Tile House on El Paseo for Open Studio with her stunning pastels.


Michael Johnstone pumps up the COLOR… and this is where Perry and he hop on the same wave…
Cheers Michael and good luck with your show up in San Francisco.

Gram Rabbit Plays Santa Barbara at Soho

WOW what the hell is wrong with me?!?!?!?!?! I’ve been so absorbed lately. I don’t know how I failed to mention that my fiancé and I went to see Gram Rabbit a local Joshua Tree band…here in Santa Barbara. WOW we had fun. We (Shirley, Jill, Doug, Christian and Madison) danced and a great time was had by all. Thank you Jessica Rabbit!!! Your wings were gorgeous!!! She had fabulous wings of glitter that possessed a real fairy quality. They even sang Devil’s Playground…and HOT Pink Hawaii, one of magentaRaven’s favorites!!!