Mission
High Desert Test Sites is a nonprofit arts institution that supports and stewards experimental artwork in the Joshua Tree region. We support programs that intersect contemporary art with everyday life, creating intimate exchanges between individuals, artworks, landscape, and community, challenging art to be relevant both to a region and beyond.
Since 2002, High Desert Test Sites—cofounded by Andrea Zittel, Andy Stillpass, John Connelly, Shaun Regen and Lisa Anne Auerbach—has hosted the work of more than 450 artists, 11 expansive site-specific programs, and 25 solo projects. Long directed by Andrea Zittel, HDTS leadership was recently handed over to Vanesa Zendejas, Zittel’s longtime administrator and program manager.
Who We Are
CONTACT
info@hdts.site
(760) 507-4190
PO Box 1058
Joshua Tree, CA 92252
Office hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-5pm PST
STAFF
Vanesa Zendejas - Executive Director, vanesa@hdts.site
Elena Yu - Assistant Director of Programming and Communications, elena@hdts.site
Connor Schwab - Facilities and Grounds Manager, connor@hdts.site
Sydney Foreman - Director’s Assistant and Visitor Services, sydney@hdts.site
ORIGINAL FOUNDERS
Andrea Zittel
Andy Stillpass
John Connelly
Lisa Anne Auerbach
Shaun Caley Regen
HDTS HQ
Elena Yu, Emily Endo, Emma Palm, Sydney Foreman and rotating A-Z West Work Trade Residents. Thanks to Elizabeth Carr and Zena Carr at the Sky Village Swap Meet! RIP Bob Carr.
WEBSITE AND DESIGN
Neil Doshi
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David Knaus - Chair
Andrea Zittel - Founding Director/Treasurer
Brooke Hodge - Secretary
Marilyn Loesberg - Member
Susan Lubeznik - Member
Aram Moshayedi - Member
SUPPORT
High Desert Test Sites is grateful to The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Tides Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation - Arts Regranting Program/Inland Empire at The Community Foundation, Strengthening Inland Southern California through Philanthropy, The Foundation for Contemporary Arts, The Ranch Projects, California Arts Council, Sky Village Swap Meet, Copper Mountain Mesa Community Association and our generous donors for their support over the years.
support
When HDTS was founded in 2002, part of the original mission was to run on a zero budget. The idea was to support artistic visions in practical terms—provide help, guidance, tools, a cot, and infinite space. For many years this worked and it produced self-driven projects that were ambitious and independently spirited.
Over the past ten years, HDTS has been working towards building a more substantial funding structure for artists’ projects. This has included hosting recurring fundraising projects such as our Artist Painted Rock Auction, Gem/Mineral Expo, pop-ups at art fairs and art museums, and producing limited edition artworks for sale.
But these endeavors never quite add up to what we need—to pay our artists fairly, for venue rentals, for staff, liability insurance, the bookkeeper, to feed our volunteers, pay for all-terrain forklift rentals, and so much more.
As our programs grow every year, so does our budget. And although we make every effort to raise the money that we need with Andrea’s self-sufficient spirit in tow, we still rely on support from donors to make it all happen.
HDTS has been a registered 501c3 since 2013. Please consider a gift in any amount to help us in providing access to engaging, experimental, contemporary art in the high desert region.
Donate via PayPal, via Venmo (@hdts_azwest), or via check:
PO Box 1058 Joshua Tree CA 92252
Visit
Many past HDTS projects have only been temporarily sited, but some are permanent and scattered throughout the Morongo Basin. The best way to find these works is to follow the directions on our current HDTS driving map. This map also includes sites we’ve partnered with in the past and admire as independent projects. Most HDTS works are located at sites that we regularly activate and operate out of. Those sites include:
A-Z West
Our new base of operations, A-Z West is Andrea’s lifelong project, where she lived and worked for 20 years before handing the keys to HDTS in 2022. Located a few minutes outside downtown Joshua Tree, this 85-acre compound includes four restored homestead cabins, several experimental living structures, permanent sculptures, 4,000 square foot studio space, and pristine desert landscape.
Public tours of A-Z West are offered every 2 weeks, alternating between 1-hour outdoor only tours, and 2-hour tours that include most interiors. Tickets for these tours can be purchased through the West Works store. All funds raised from tour ticket sales support HDTS programming and general operating expenses.
HDTS office hours at A-Z West are Tuesday through Thursday from 10 am–5 pm. Our office is not open to the public during these hours, but by appointment only. Please email Sydney if you have an inquiry regarding A-Z West.
Directions: Head east down Hwy 62 past downtown Joshua Tree. About 1 mile past Park make a right at the “Bail Bonds” sign onto Neptune. When the road hits a “T” make a left, then the next right. At the hanging wooden signs, go straight to park in the Encampment lot, or make a left to go to the house, cabins, or studio.
Behind the Bail Bonds
Sited on this 10-acre boulder strewn parcel adjacent to A-Z West are several works that may take a few hours of exploring to divulge: Morongo by Nathan Lieb, Surveillant Architectures by Julia Scher, and CA Truck Heads by Sarah Vanderlip. Feel free to visit this site sunup to sundown but make sure you park in our designated parking and do not block the road.
Directions: Head east down Hwy 62 past downtown Joshua Tree. About 1 mile past Park make a right at the “Bail Bonds” sign onto Neptune. When the road hits a “T” make a left. Follow along power lines, park just before the turnaround area.
Andy’s Gamma Gulch
Co-founder Andy Stillpass has generously allowed countless HDTS projects to take place on this wildly beautiful 100-acre parcel north of Pioneertown off of Pipes Canyon Rd. Several works are sited here, includingGradually/We Become Aware/Of a Hum in the Room by Halsey Rodman, Trail Registry by Scout Regalia and Tapwater Pavilion by Tao Urban. Andy’s is also available to visit from sunup to sundown but make sure you park in our designated parking or if you do need to park off the side of the road, be careful not to end up in soft sand.
Directions: From Hwy 62 turn right at Pioneertown Rd. Drive about 7.5 miles. Turn right on Pipes Canyon Rd. Drive 2.2 miles to Gamma Gulch Rd, turn left (respect our neighbors – do not drive above 20 mph on this road!) Drive 1.6 miles to God’s Way Love (if the sign has blown off look for Dave & Jeannie’s sign), turn right. Drive 0.4 miles.
Ironage Rd
Purchased from a tax sale back in the early aughts, this 40-acre site is surrounded by BLM land. Located at the most eastern edge of Wonder Valley, in the Sheephole Valley Wilderness area, this site is a commitment to get out to, and feels like the end of the California high desert before being clearly on the way to Arizona. This flat, sandy, washy land is home to several permanently sited works, including Dineo Seshee Bopape’s HDTS 2022 work, and a mostly “invisible” project: Bob Dornberger and Jim Piatt’s Secret Restaurant. On the opposite side of Ironage Rd and slightly to the north is a work by Kiersten Puusemp (Untitled) that you will probably need to get out of your car and explore a little in order to find. Also accessible from sunup to sundown, be very careful when parking off the side of the road as the sand is very soft here.
Directions: From 29 Palms continue east on Hwy 62. Drive forever (23 miles) and turn left at Iron Age Rd. Drive a mile or so until you see something. (Iron Age Road connects both Amboy Road and Hwy 62, so you can reach it using either access road.)
HQ at Sky Village Swap Meet
The HDTS HQ is a visitor’s center and creative hub where artists, craftsmen, visionaries, and friends engage with the high desert community through creative projects and performances. You can pick up a copy of our driving map to HDTS projects and other local sites of interest at the HQ every Saturday from 9 am–12 pm (closed July-August)—and please check our Instagram page regularly to see what special events we have on the calendar. More on the HDTS HQ here.
Directions: 7028 Theater Road (just off Hwy 247, right behind Barr Lumber), Yucca Valley, CA 92286; 760-365-2104
Firehouse Outpost
One of our favorite community partners is Copper Mountain Mesa Community Center, where we’ve hosted many past HDTS programs and events. CMMCC is located in North Joshua Tree, about 15 minutes north of A-Z West. On the property is an old firehouse that served the neighborhood in the 80s, and now HDTS rents for community programs, public exhibitions and events. Currently HDTS is working on siting our Desert Research Library at the Firehouse Outpost and later opening this resource to the public. Stay tuned for project updates!
The Firehouse Outpost is currently open to the public only during public events. Please email Elena if you have questions about the space or are interested in Firehouse Outpost programming.
Directions: 65336 Winters Rd, Joshua Tree, CA 92252; Driving west on Hwy 62 into downtown Joshua Tree, pass Park and make a left on Sunburst. Right on Golden, left on Border, past Aberdeen and make a right on Winters. Take Winters past where it turns to dirt road, CMMCC is on the left.
A New Horizon
Scott Oliver
“Llano Stories & Desert Dumbballs” is an event marking the completion of a site-specific, cast concrete, sculpture entitled A New Horizon by Scott Oliver.
A hybrid of a contemporary Chautauqua gathering and hands-on sculptural demonstration, this event celebrates and illuminates local culture and history through a series of presentations and performances exploring the event site and its surroundings from different perspectives. Speakers and performers include UNM, Valencia Earth Sciences Professor, Thomas Whittaker; Whitfield WCA Project Manager, Ted Hodoba; musician and poet, Gerard Bezzeg; author, Gregory Louis Candela with Sheri Armijo; local rancher and community historian, Ramon Torres; author and poet, Shirley Blackwell; and Executive Director of CARTA, Troy Ainsworth.
Attendees are invited to arrive throughout the day and stay for as long as they like. They are also invited to make “Dumbballs,” baseball-sized concrete spheres first developed by the late conceptual artist David Ireland. Dumbballs are formed by tossing wet concrete back and forth as it hardens, using one’s gloved hands as the mold. “Desert Dumbballs” will be made of the same material as Oliver’s sculpture: sand and stones collected on-site, mixed with cement and water. If you‘d like to make a Dumbball please RSVP to knot@mcn.org.
A New Horizon was commissioned by Earthbound Moon—a non-profit, community arts organization, working nationally and abroad to create a global network of commons anchored by public artworks. Earthbound Moon brings contemporary artists into urban and rural communities to help facilitate an exchange of ideas about the nature of community and place. www.earthboundmoon.com
www.scottoliverworks.com
Friday, October 18, 2013
Visitors are welcome to stop by the site during the day
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Event Schedule
10:30 a Desert Dumbballs Demonstration by Scott Oliver
11:15 Opening Remarks by Scott Oliver
11:45 Talk: Geology of The Area by UNM Valencia Earth Sciences Professor, Thomas Whittaker
12:15 Talk: Flora & Fauna of the Llano by Whitfield WCA Project Manager, Ted Hodoba
12:45 Acoustic Music: “New Mexico Eclectic” by musician and poet, Gerard Bezzeg
1:30 Dramatic Readings: Prose & Poetry of Tomé by author and poet, Gregory Louis Candela with Sheri Armijo
2:00 Talk: History of the Tomé Land Grant by TBD
2:30 Reading: Ditchbank Diaries: Haibuñera from the Land of Enchantment by author and poet Shirley Blackwell
3:00 Talk: History of El Camino Real by El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail Assoc. Executive Director, Troy Ainsworth
3:30 Acoustic Music: “New Mexico Eclectic” by musician and poet, Gerard Bezzeg
4:00 Closing Remarks by Scott Oliver
5-6:00 p Reception: Food and drink at Tomé Gallery, 2930 Highway 47, Tomé
PLEASE NOTE:
• Attendees wishing to make a Desert Dumbball must arrive at 10:30 am on the day of the event and must RSVP to ensure that we have enough materials on hand. To do so please email knot@mcn.org or call 510-507-1096.
• “Llano Stories & Desert Dumbballs” is taking place on the llano, in the Rio del Oro subdivision outside Tomé-Adelino. Attendees are advised to wear hats and sturdy shoes. The event site can only be reached on foot. Attendees should park in the designated temporary parking area located near the intersection of La Entrada Road and Vallejos Road and follow signs to the event site, about ¼ of a mile from the paved road.
• We need chairs for the day of the event. If you have a folding chair that’s easy to carry, please bring it with you. Water and snacks will be provided.
Driving Directions:
EVENT:
From Albuquerque and points North take I-25 South toward Las Cruces; take Exit 215 for Hwy 47-South, merge onto Broadway Blvd., SE; keep to the right at the fork, follow signs to Hwy 47-S, merge onto Hwy 47 and continue South for 10.5 miles; turn left at Main St., NE/Hwy 6 to stay on Hwy 47-S; continue on Hwy 47 for 7.5 miles; turn left onto Vallejos Rd., look for event signs at the intersection of Vallejos Rd. and La Entrada Rd., park here.
From Las Cruces and points South take I-25 North toward Albuquerque; take exit 190 toward Belen, merge onto S. Main Street (I-25 Business); turn right onto E. Reinken Ave., continue East (E. Reinken Ave. becomes East River Dr.) across the Rio Grande; turn left onto Hwy 47 North; continue on Hwy 47 for 3.8 miles; turn right onto Vallejos Rd., look for event signs at the intersection of Vallejos Rd. and La Entrada Rd., park here.
EVENT RECEPTION:
From event site take Vallejos Rd. back to Hwy 47, turn right onto Hwy 47, Tomé Gallery will be on your left at 2930 Hwy 47.
HDTS 2013
OCTOBER 12, 2013 - OCTOBER 19, 2013
High Desert Test Sites hits the road for a full week of experimental art and exploration, from Joshua Tree to Albuquerque!
HDTS 2013, the ninth program in a series of free ranging and ever evolving contemporary art events, expands our range and depth to take in everything from Joshua Tree, California to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Roughly 60 new projects will take place over an entire week, during which artists and audience alike will traverse over 700 miles of desert roads to check out the new work and explore the hidden gems and diverse desert communities along this spectacular stretch of the Southwest.
Project sites include: Amboy Crater, Arcosanti, Area 66 (Yucca), Art Queen (Joshua Tree), Bluewater Lake State Park, El Malpais National Monument, El Rancho Hotel (Gallup), Giant Rock (Landers), Hill Top Motel (Kingman), Magdalena Ridge Observatory (Socorro), Mill Restaurant (Crown King), Montessa Park (Albuquerque), Palms Restaurant and Saloon (Wonder Valley), Petrified Forest National Park, Octopus Car Wash (Albuquerque), Pink Post Office Projects (Wonder Valley), Tamarind Institute (Albuquerque), Warehouse 1-10 (Magdalena), in addition to our regular HDTS sites.
The week’s festivities include a Saturday night opening dinner (first-come-first-served) at The Palms in Wonder Valley October 12, with musical performances by The Sibleys and The Renderers.
A zine-style publication, designed by Brad Hudson Thomas, with original texts by James Trainor and Eden Solas, will accompany the event.
