Dorland Mountain Arts Colony

The first art adventure of 2022.

Early on January 28, Ed and I made our escape in a car heavily loaded with paint, panels, and an ice chest. We drove 8 hours to Joshua Tree where we were joined by Chris Allen, an old friend and bead artist from Rochester, Minnesota. Chris had just driven across the country in her daughter's Ford, the rust creeping up the bottom as a testament of the frigid temperatures she was escaping.

We spent two nights in Joshua Tree, hiking, sketching, and photographing, collecting images for the upcoming weeks. I was also inspired by Noah Purifoy's outdoor sculptures.

On January 30, we headed 2 hours west to the Dorland Mountain Artist Colony in the hills above Temecula. As we drove up the steep road to the grounds, I felt like I was entering a sacred space, a place out of time. A couple white cottages perched on hilltops covered with sage and brush, and other houses clustered inside a grove of live oak.

We were greeted by Duchess, the resident German shepherd. We parked and looked for a place to register, and we found 99-year-old Robert, sitting on a porch with his granddaughter and great-granddaughter. Chris and I introduced ourselves and asked where we should check in. He waved a hand dismissively and said, "You're checked in."

Ed and I unloaded our supplies at the Horton cottage, a sunny little white house with tile floors and a Steinway grand piano dominating the main room. On top of a bookcase was a sign that read, "We're all here at Dorland, and the magic has begun."