by Kim Reasor

We have been toiling for eleven days now, clearing the waste products the donkeys gleefully create as quickly as they consume their hay in the morn and in the gloaming. Only to receive baleful glances if we dare to pass their enclosure without offering tribute via apple, carrot or cookie.

​I believe they have begun to communicate directly with my mind via some sort of mysterious equine telepathy. To that end, today I was moved to build a large sculpture of a face out of their excreta...but not a face one would ever cross paths with here on our beloved Terra. Indeed, this face, with its large eyes and tiny chin, resembles nothing so much as the aliens which have been seen in the environs of Area 51 in New Mexico. I have come to believe that Milton and Stanley are using me as a vehicle for communicating with the mother ship, which they hope to lure to the Mojave so that they may be blessed with bountiful gifts from the small humanoid extraterrestrials who rightfully worship donkeys as the avatar of their Deity. Gifts consisting of unending apple slices and balls with handles that never break. I hear them whispering in my head at night; my wife says I am talking in my sleep and is threatening to take my shovel away.

Disclaimer: we love the donkeys and are just blowing off steam after a stressful day with our visitors, one of whom had a medical emergency and that’s a whole other saga.

David serenading the donkeys.

Very excited about our next group of residents. This photo was after early summer rains. We are expecting more storms this weekend, so flowers will continue. Chinch Weed, such a lovely smell. 

We still have a bit of room in our bookings, so let us know if you'd like to be considered for a residency. We will send you our FAQ.

Or come to visit us during the Hwy 62 Art Tours. Barn will be open, donkeys will be available for pets. First three weekends of October.

Desert Dairy Residency Experience
by Linda Fenney

I went to the Desert Dairy for a residency on the advice of a friend who had done a
residency there two times. I trusted her opinion that it would be a wonderful
experience and she was right.

I had never stayed in the American desert. My preference is for water and lots of it,
seas, rivers, lakes, but staying in TwentyNine Palms was a different experience, and
with no agenda other than to paint, I grew to appreciate the vastness of the space
and to enjoy the sense of dry cleanliness.

I am sure I ‘lucked out’ by going in October. The temperatures were maybe a little
warm, but not sweaty. The annual Open Studios art tours were happening on the
weekends. We spent a couple of days visiting some of the many studios that were
open, including some recommended by our hosts Anna and Ted who seem to know
most of the local art community. Anna and Ted are a both artists themselves (Anna
taught art for many years). Ted runs a program at USC that introduces art by
patients to medical staff to help them appreciate the emotional impact on their
patients of the trauma of chronic illness, not just the physical impact. He has done
Ted talks on this subject, and is also an author.

Although I believe the residency is intended for a single person I was allowed to
bring my partner who did wood carving and took photos in Joshua Tree National
Park while I painted.

The accommodation is basic, a small room with one bed, a bathroom and a “dry
kitchen” (we put up a cot each night for the second person).
There is a large barn with a studio, which I set up in and used for the duration of the
residency as my own space. Anna kindly gave me critiques on a couple of occasions.
Anna and Ted included us in several of their outings, e.g., to a bar with music and
one night to several gallery shows. They were generous with their time and advice
and I enjoyed and appreciated their company immensely.
​
This was my first artist residency. It was fun, and the experience of being supported
in focusing on painting with no other concerns in a uniquely special spot in the
world was a gift.

Interested in the Desert Dairy?
Use our contact page to send us a message and we will tell you what to do...
We accept visual, performing and literary artists.

Lynn Heinz spent her Spring 2023 residency making paintings and mixed media monoprints based on landscape. 

Guest Resident Char Vine brought her custom Freedom Trax wheelchair augmentation to try out in the dunes. She made a piece of earth art!
​See the video HERE.

Assemblage artist Monica Marks spent her 2nd residency at the Desert Dairy making both wall works and totems. See her video HERE.