The Pioneertown Studio

After spending a year in Mexico and a year back in Utah, I decided to go back to Pioneertown.  I used to go there when I lived in L.A. with my friends Billy and Paul to a little rental cabin to get away from the grid, do some rock climbing and drinking and had always loved it.  I got a gig house-sitting the house behind it for the summer and started to lust after this shell as a possible studio.      It was basically a shell when I found it. The people that had lived there before had gutted it and left it a mess. 

There were no plants in the front except for one tree.  I painted the exterior, replaced windows and doors, enclosed the shed addition, laid cement on the front porch with a rock wall, built a goldfish pond with lilies, built an awning over the front window and planted trees, bushes and hundreds of cactus. On the interior I repainted everything, tore out the tile and did a treatment on the cement floor, installed a window paned door to the bedroom, installed a wood burning stove in the bedroom, added window treatments, installed a new kitchen sink and counter top, fixed the roof and much more.   
  

My neighbors were roadrunners, rabbits, coyotes, bobcats, owls, eagles and a bunch of varmints that I liked to shoot from my porch. The surrounding rocky hills were an awesome place to go rock hopping and meditating.  Pioneertown has a rich history.  Lots of famous bands were starting to show up and there was a large artistic community.  Joshua Tree National Park was just 20 minutes away.

I had the Pioneertown Studio for  quite a few years.  This was my sanctuary and inspiration for many years.  I lost myself there and rediscovered myself there. I also created some of my best stuff there.