Coachella Magazine #7 by Coachella Magazine

COACHELLA M A G A Z I N E

GUSTAVO RIMADA

THIRD EDITION OF

DESERT X MARCH 12–MAY 16, 2021

EXHIBITION TO TAKE PLACE AT OUTDOOR SITES ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S COACHELLA VALLEY DESERTX.ORG

photo credit: LANCE GERBER

MASTHEAD

COACHELLA M A G A Z I N E FOUNDER / P UB LI SHER EDITOR IN C HIEF JORGE PEREZCHICA CONTR I B UTOR S LUNAFORA CREATIVE DIRECTOR TREEM HEFF FASHION/FOOD+DRINK MARLLEY GONZALEZ FASHION/FOOD+DRINK CHRISTY JEZIORSKI WRITER KEVIN TREJO PHOTOGRAPHY VICTOR SIMMONS HAIR SELENE COLÔN MAKEUP SABRINA ROSE STYLIST ANDRE BORROWS VIDEO CHRISTOPHER LOPEZ MODEL SABRINA MODEL NISANDRE MODEL BRAND PARTNERS BENJAMIN PERDEREAU BLONDE CLOTHING BOUTIQ UE CANDICE HELD FATHERAKKI FLOW MODERN JUST FABULOUS PEEPA’S PURE ATLAS SUPERBLOOM TRINA TURK / MR TURK V&G COLLECTIVE SPECIAL THANKS VILLA ROYALE PALM SPRINGS GRIP & LIGHTING SOCIAL MEDIA INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK @coachellamagazine TWITTER @coachellamag

COACHELLA MAGAZINE © 2021 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission from the publisher. The views expressed in COACHELLA MAGAZINE are those of the respective contributors and not necessarily shared by COACHELLA MAGAZINE.

ISSUE Nº 7 COACHELLA MAGAZINE ( ISSN 2471-5980 ) IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY AND PRINTED IN THE USA.

Art / Style / Culture of Coachella Valley, California

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Sunglasses KRAVE KULTURE Green Jumpsuit from BLONDE CLOTHING BOUTIQUE Custom leather belt & bracelets from V&G COLLECTIVE

CONTENTS

COACHELLA M A G A Z I N E

5 6 8 10 14 100

EDITOR’S LETTER CHRONICLE HOME CHELLAGUY CHELLAGIRL HOT SHOTS

ART 18 22 26 32 36 44 48 54

GUSTAVO RIMADA SAVE ART SPACE JEVPIC MAIN STREET BENCH PROJECT DAYS OF LOS MUERTOS DESERT X STREET ARTIVISM UNCERTAIN TIMES

MUSIC 56 SLIPPING INTO DARKNESS FILM 58 CHRISTIAN SESMA DANCE 62 GROUND SERIES FASHION 70 THE NEW ROYALS 82 MICHAEL COSTELLO CULTURE 84 OUR PLACE IN TIME 88 CV WOMEN’S MARCH FOOD+DRINK 92 TOMMY BAHAMA 94 CHULA EATERY 98 BEST COOKIE PS 99 CV HARVEST BOX

ON THE COVER “TU LUCHA ES MI LUCHA” BY GUSTAVO RIMADA

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ED I TOR’S LETTER

uprising Coachella Magazine #7 UPRISING reflects on the stories of resiliency and creativity in 2020. On the cover, local artist Gustavo Rimada paints “Tu Lucha Es Mi Lucha” a symbolic portrait evoking struggle and rebirth. “The chains represent a breaking from the norms that we grew up with to dislike each other, the butterflies represent our playful and hopeful youth. The fist is a fight to break the cycle with the rose representing the birth of a new alliance,” said Rimada. Despite the ever changing conditions in these uncertain times, I remain optimistic. Whether spending days quarantined due to COVID shutdowns, wearing a face mask outdoors, stressing over politics or racial injustice, I am inspired watching the arts continue to thrive in the Coachella Valley. For instance, in this issue we go downtown Palm Springs with artists/ filmmaker Tysen Knight to discover Main Street Bench Project — transforming the ordinary into works of art. We travel to Morongo Valley and meet Ground Series dance collective who are pushing boundaries in outdoor theater. The talents of Victor Simmons, DJ LF and Selene Colón combine fashion, music and dance in their production video GENERATE. SaveArtSpace converts public billboards into an outdoor galley curated by Sofia Enriquez and featuring local artists. Fault Line Meditation by Jevpic invites you on a metaphoric path — shifting focus from blame to reflection. Days of Los Muertos overcomes COVID hurdles to keep the annual family tradition alive at Sunnylands. We meet César García-Alvarez who will co-curate the third edition of Desert X in the Coachella Valley. Flat Black owner Pete Salcido leads a community effort merging art and activism to bring awareness for human rights. Slipping Into Darkness releases their much anticipated album “Second Wind for Our Love.” Filmmaker Christian Sesma talks PAYDIRT, making movies, mentoring and a bold vision to bring more production into the Coachella Valley. The New Royals getaway at Villa Royale. Michael Costello launches Million Mask Mission to help essential workers through the pandemic. Christy Jeziorski invites local leaders for a discussion on race. Katherine Gonzalez, chef/owner of Chúla Eatery shares her story from selling tamales and salsas at farmer’s market to running a top-rated restaurant in the age of COVID. And more. Stay safe and healthy. I look forward to what’s to come in 2021.

Hats from SUPERBLOOM Her tee shirt from PEEPA’S Jewelry from FLOW MODERN Her black jacket KRAVE KULTURE Leather belts from V&G COLLECTIVE Hand painted clothes from FATHERAKKI Denim shorts from BLONDE CLOTHING BOUTIQUE

JORGE PEREZCHICA Founder / Editor in Chief

(Right)

C HR ONIC LE

MARLLEY GONZALEZ & MICHAEL COSTELLO

livestream interview on “Million Mask Mission.”

TREEM HEFF

test-drives the new Land Rover at 4XFar Adventure Fest in Thermal, CA.

Alf Alpha DJing at the Grand Opening of West Coast Cannabis in Palm Desert.

KYLIE KNIGHT & JANET ZEPEDA “Monstritos” art show at Flat Black

WILL STURGEON AND MARNI RICK RODRIGUEZ “Through the Lines” A solo art show exhibit.

livestream interview.

BRIAN PISCADOR stands in front of a billboard in the city of Coachella, adorned with his photo “The Kiss” selected by Save Art Space.

TOP: BIG BELI solo art show at Flat Black in Palm Desert, CA. RIGHT: CHAD ALLEN & HEIDI BUEHLER Palm Springs Intl. Dance Festival at the Gala House.

RYAN CAMPBELL / RMC1 Pop-Up Studio and Artist-in-Residence at Palm Springs Art Museum

PEOPLE / PLACE S / PARTIE S

ZACH BOYLES

Main Street Bench Project - downtown Palm Springs

GISELLE WOO & THE NIGHT OWLS

Residency at the Alibi

(Above) TYSEN NIGHT Artist-in-Residence at Palm Springs Art Museum. (Bellow) ZELAYA SANCHEZ CV Women’s March, Coachella, CA.

GABBY VASQUEZ Paints “Visiting Mirage” created in collaboration with Palm Springs Cultural Center & PS Public Arts Commission.

ANNe FAITH NICHOLLS

Paints “Transplant” mural at Palm Springs Cultural Center. Presenetd by Palm Springs Public Arts

After the death of George Floyd, Protestors rally in downtown Palm Springs to voice support of Black Lives Matter and the fight against racial injustice.

H OME AXIOM BY TURKEL DESIGN WEB: TURKELDESIGN.COM/AXIOM-DESERT-HOUSE Based on the Axiom 2110 and featuring the Turkel Design signature post-and-beam construction and an open great room breezing out to a private courtyard, the 2,080-square-foot Axiom Desert House draws from the lifestyle and culture of Palm Springs—seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor living while incorporating innovative and energy-efficient products and systems throughout. Completed in February 2019, Axiom Desert House made its debut as a Featured Home at Palm Springs Modernism Week—turning heads as a stunning, systems-built jewel that is now the private residence of designers Joel and Meelena Turkel, as well as a Living Lab for Turkel Design. The home’s open plan, indoor/outdoor flow, and thoughtful use of sustainable materials are a testament to modern prefab. Resource transformative furniture such as Resource Wall Beds and Flex Outdoor Sofa, celebrates design that is simple, elegant, and replicable. — Photos by Chase Daniel

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AR C HI TEC TU R E & DE S IG N ROUND DWELL WEB: ROUNDDWELL.COM Palm Springs, CA is at the center of the mid-century modernism universe and it was the choice city to develop the RoundDwell home. These modern round houses being built in Palm Springs are composed of 1950’s architecture and 2025’s technology in a living and working space for the new tomorrow. The design evolves around the owner’s wishes, lifestyle, and finding the perfect choice of view for every room in the house and integrating all of this into the final blue print. The plan brings light and nature into the center of the dwelling with an array of technologies available in the housing industry that can be mixed, matched and upgraded to fit any homeowner’s dream. — Photos courtesy of Round Dwell

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CHE LLAG UY

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VICTOR SIMMONS

KING OF THE CROWN interview JORGE PEREZCHICA photography KEVIN TREJO hair VICTOR SIMMONS / makeup SELENE COLÓN

Every superhero has an origin. What’s your backstory - how did you become King of the Crown? I grew up during the 1990’s in the Coachella Valley, La Quinta to be exact. It was a very suburban so-cal childhood. Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles and Pizza Parties. I always had a creative imagination and gravitated towards things that seemed larger than life in movies, T.V. and music. I loved the big over the top glamour in the reruns I’d see of Golden Girls, sci-fi fantasy in Star Wars, and was obsessed with all the bold music videos on TRL. As I got older, I became really self-conscious and subdued as I realized I was different from most other boys and didn’t want to be singled out or pointed out for being gay. It wasn’t until years later at that I was able to overcome the self doubt and self inflicted shame, and embrace the parts of my creative and artistic self. I really have to give so much credit to my parents on this one. Although I had many bouts of self-esteem issues, my parents always imparted upon me, my sister and my brother that we were loved unconditionally. They also never let us forget that we were each capable and smart enough to achieve anything we wanted in life. Did you always want to pursue a hairstyling career? I didn’t grow up with hairstyling as something that was an example of a career choice. I do have memories of going to the salon with my mom to get her hair done, the barbershop with my Dad to get his and my hair cut, and my grandparents either fluffing my curly hair out or brushing it down depending on who was combing it. At a certain point, I started cutting my own hair with some clippers at home and even asked my parents if I could cut my little brothers also. I even tried styling my sisters hair into these small attempts at braiding or buns. When I really considered hairstyling was after trying a semester of general ed at College of the Desert. I was going with no real direction as to what exactly I wanted to do. I had all those little signs or signals that I thought, well, let me try this. So I stopped what I was doing, went to Beauty School and loved every step of the way. The thing I love the most about the

SABRINA ROSE poses in a scene from “GENERATE” A fashion/dance/ music video production.

hair industry is that it’s so visually engaging. Hair is the one accessory you wear everyday, so it really is a visual representation of how you feel on the inside. You have a business degree. How has that helped you in the real world? After 10 years of being a stylist, I felt like I had some unfinished business at College of the Desert and I wanted to go back, not just for a sense of accomplishment, but to have some more knowledge of what I could use to my advantage in my career as a stylist. I earned my Associates Degree in Business Administration with honors in 2012. I gained a whole lot of understanding about marketing, accounting, and effective strategizing in a business plan. I feel that you

THE THING I LOVE THE MOST ABOUT THE HAIR INDUSTRY IS THAT IT’S SO VISUALLY ENGAGING. HAIR IS THE ONE ACCESSORY YOU WEAR EVERYDAY, SO IT REALLY IS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF HOW YOU FEEL ON THE INSIDE. — VICTOR SIMMONS

can never be at a disadvantage in life by getting more education. As an artist, it’s just as important to take care of your business and support yourself as it is to be happy creating your work. What was quarantine life like for you at first? Quarantine life during the first wave of COVID-19 was extremely intense for me. I had a roller coaster of emotions ranging from relaxed and lazy to stressed and anxious. The time off work and being away from socializing seemed like a nice break at first, but there’s only so much of ‘personal development’ someone can do like yoga, reading, and bingeing favorite shows without going stir crazy. As time went by, I had submitted myself to the fact that I had no control over the situation, but I could make the most of my time engaging in the here and now. How is the hair industry impacted by the pandemic? It’s been such a devastating year for a lot of us. Depending on which state you work in, salons are either open or still shut. For CA, it’s been a constant pattern

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or closing and re-opening. It’s a really hard thing to map out because there is so much uncertainty. I know that most hair stylists and barbers are doing the best they can to survive and stay connected with clients. Keeping up to date with mandates and regulations like masks, health screening, and regular disinfecting is what everyone is doing. New innovations like selling hair products to clients directly with personal online links have been a big help. You co-produced “GENERATE” a fashion/dance/ music video with DJ LF. Tell us about the project. About 2 years ago I was trying to develop a concept of bringing what I saw at trade shows and conventions in the hair industry to everyday consumers as a way to market myself to new clients. The lights, the stage, music, extravagant styles, bright makeup, etc. My friend DJ_LF worked in nightlife and I asked him about how the bar/nightclub/event business worked. Together, we created Hairitage Showcase at BART Lounge. A fashion show event in the in the bar with the focus on hair and makeup. Together, with friends,

GENERATE cast left to right: TRACY T, SABRINA ROSE, KEVIN HERNANDEZ, DJ LF

family, hair models, and creative partners, we made each event bigger by trying new things each time. After COVID-19 closed the bars and nightclubs, I thought we could do a pre-recorded version of what the show would be like. Models, dancers, featuring local art, etc. To make everything original, DJ LF produced the song GENERATE to go along with the video that was shot by Kevin Trejo. The message of the song is about embracing your self empowerment and celebrating the creative energy we create when we all work together. Selene Colón is someone you collaborated on GENERATE and other various projects. How did you two meet and what keeps you guys inspired as a team? Selene and I met when I was working as a cosmetology instructor. She was already an accomplished make-up artist and was coming to school for her cosmetology license. Whenever someone needed makeup on a gig that I was doing hair for, I recommended her. From there we worked together more and more often. I think what keeps us motivated is the mutual love of our craft. Selene is uber talented and has such a wide range of

what she can do with make-up. From special-effects, to beauty, to editorial. It’s amazing. What are you working on next? More content to support GENERATE such as live and virtual performances, collaborations, and fashion features. The next song and message will be coming very soon. I’m looking forward to expanding and carving out more facets of my creative skills, and discovering more possibilities. I want to give people something to look forward to and believe in themselves that there is so much more in store for themselves. Anything else you would like to add? Download and stream GENERATE on all music platforms. The music video is up on our YouTube channel: The Crown Collective. Be safe and kind to each other. Invent the life you envision for yourself and don’t let things keep you down, get right back up. Stay tuned, this one’s for you. IG @VICTORSIMMONS_KOTC

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CHE LLAG I R L

SELENE COLÓN

ARTISTRY interview JORGE PEREZCHICA

Hi Selene, how’s quarantine life going? Quarantine life has been a real challenge just like it has been for everyone else. I haven’t been able to work my regular job as an afterschool program coordinator due to schools not being open. I have been really focusing on my art and just trying to make the best of it. Growing up in the Coachella Valley, did you always want to be an artist? I am so proud to have grown up in this valley. My first real painting ever was when I was 8 and it was of the mountains and desert. In middle school, I had great support from my teachers and that is when I truly identified as an artist. Throughout high school, I was known as “the art chick” and was very involved in the art scene. I was a proud recipient of art scholarships from various sponsors and organizations in the Coachella Valley and I was able to be a junior docent at the Palm Springs Art Museum.

AS A WOMAN OF COLOR, I TRY MY BEST TO BE SOCIALLY ACTIVE AND I HOPE THAT I CAN INSPIRE OTHER WOMEN TO EXPRESS THEIR VOICE, CREATIVITY, AND TALENT. — SELENE COLÓN

How did you start a career in the makeup industry? I remember my uncle helped me fall in love with the moviemaking process. I was mesmerized by the power of makeup and special effects. In school, I was always an artist, but I also had good grades and AP classes so my counselor and my parents were not so supportive of my love of art and pushed me to follow a “regular” college degree. Luckily as a sophomore in college, I switched my major to a Fine Arts Degree and took a theatrical makeup class where I discovered the magic of makeup artistry. Since then I have been certified in Makeup Artistry and I am also a licensed Cosmetologist. I’ve been lucky enough to have worked on photoshoots, fashion shows, indie films, and theatre, including the McCallum Theatre, CVRep and Dezart Performs. What keeps you inspired and motivated each day in the age of COVID? Without being able to work or do makeup, I’ve been taking it day by day, being able to create a little bit every day has been very motivating and emotionally helpful in this painful year. I also had time to re-imagine my career. I enrolled back in college to be able to add psychology to my education and pursue a career in Art Therapy. I have worked with children through the YMCA for a decade and I have found that helping middle school kids with art is a huge motivation for me. Tell us about the paintings you created most recently. This year I was finally able to sit down and paint some of the concepts I had been brewing for a while. I have conjured inspiration from my love of the moon, self-expression, and female empowerment from wonder woman to re-imagined Disney characters to the endurance of losing a loved one.

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portrait photography KEVIN TREJO hair VICTOR SIMMONS / makeup SELENE COLÓN

ECLIPSE - oil on canvas

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BLIND JUSTICE - mixed media on canvas

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I HAVE CONJURED INSPIRATION FROM MY LOVE OF THE MOON, SELF-EXPRESSION, AND FEMALE EMPOWERMENT, FROM WONDER WOMAN TO RE-IMAGINED DISNEY CHARACTERS TO THE ENDURANCE OF LOSING A LOVED ONE. — SELENE COLÓN

A few of my paintings are of moon goddesses; all of them are controlling the world around them just like the moon can encourage tides of change. My painting Elixir is of the pain of being depressed and how we drown our pain in a dosage. Most recently, I have finished off the year with my mixed media piece of Blind Justice. In it, Lady justice has noticed the overwhelming weight of blood spilled from injustice and has begun to remove her blindfold that ironically has kept her blind to the truth. I’m pretty proud of that one. You collaborated with Victor Simmons on GENERATE. What was it like on set? Our inspiration, like the title, was about showcasing Coachella Valley creators getting together and Generating ART. We really wanted to highlight the artistry that comes from our growing valley. Most people think of our valley as mid-century Palm Springs which is awesome, but we are so much more than that. My inspiration for the makeup was our scenery. I wanted to make it modern and dramatic so I used metallic reds, pinks, and purples like our beautiful mountain sunsets, as well as sandy browns and greens for our desert oasis landscapes. I also made sure the skin on our models was golden and glowy like being in the desert sun. Working with the Crown Collective and the king of the crown himself, Victor Simmons, after so many months of social distancing was the greatest feeling! On photoshoots, it’s hard finding a good hair/makeup team but you guys work seamlessly together. How did you two meet? And how would you describe your collaboration? I love and respect Victor so much! He is a driving force and a true visionary. I first met Victor years ago when I started attending Marinello’s cosmetology school. Although we are close in age, he was one of the professors and quite frankly, the best one. The energy and unique creativity he brought to the learning process really clicked with me. I had already been working in the makeup industry professionally and we started collaborating on projects. Throughout the years we’ve done hair shows, events, and countless photoshoots. There are many artists and creatives out there, but it’s really about creating a team where everyone respects everyone’s artistry and can really work off each other’s inspiration to create awesome looks, Victor and I have that. What are you working on next? I am currently working on new paintings and I’m also looking forward to submitting my painting, Blind Justice to online galleries focused on civil rights. As a woman of color, I try my best to be socially active and I hope that I can inspire other women to express their voice, creativity, and talent.

IG @SELENEARTISTRY / @THE.ART.CHICK

TOP: POISON APPLE - mixed media on canvas BOTTOM: ELIXIR - mixed media on canvas

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ART

“Tu Lucha Es Mi Lucha” 12 3/4 x 16 1/4 acrylic on canvas. Photo courtesy of Gustavo Rimada

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GUSTAVO RIMADA

TU LUCHA ES MI LUCHA interview JORGE PEREZCHICA

Gustavo Rimada was born in Torreon, Mexico and is the youngest of four. Growing up, Gustavo was constantly drawing and his artistic gift was always encouraged. By the age of seven Gustavo’s family moved to California and was raised in Indio. Art came easy for Gustavo but it took years to find his path. Throughout his education, he took art classes. After graduating from high school he decided to attend The Art Institute to study Computer Animation. By then, 9/11 hit and left him feeling inadequate. He spent three years in the Army, and within that time art took a backseat. It wasn’t until two years later that Gustavo truly began his journey back into art. He became workaholic, from tattooing to sketching and painting till late in the night. “I live and breathe in front of my easel,” says Gustavo. The artist keeps a booklet to write down his ideas. One particular had been floating around in his head in different forms all of 2020. But it wasn’t until after the murder of George Floyd and the protests that it all came together. The finished painting titled, “Tu Lucha Es Mi Lucha” is a symbolic portrait of struggle and rebirth. COACHELLA MAGAZINE

can’t say whether we are in a good place or not even with the changing of the guard. I don’t know when we are gonna figure out as a working class, that most of these people in office have zero interest in looking out for us. I feel no hope when it comes to politics, but when it comes to Americans seeing the truth about the unfair treatment of people of color. I think there’s a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. The work is just getting started and I’m glad to see all people start to see that fight. When California went into shutdown, how did you adjust to quarantine life? Did you pick up any new skills/hobby or try something new you wouldn’t have in the past? Man, I live and breathe in front of my easel, so I have seen almost zero change in my daily life. The only thing that bothers me is seeing how it has affected my loved ones. They are more social than I am and I can see how it has hurt them which then hurts me.

Hi, Gustavo Rimada. How are you doing these days? Hi, doing good for the most part. Pretty tired of the pandemic like most people, but also understand why we gotta do what we gotta do. You were born in Mexico and grew up in the Coachella Valley. What do you love most about the desert? What keeps you inspired and motivated each day? I’ll be honest it’s been a love and hate relationship with the desert for me. Times were tough for me growing up here, so I couldn’t wait to leave when I got the chance and have moved out of this place too many times. Through all that, today I am ready to call this place home. What I truly love the most about the desert that keeps me on my toes is knowing the hard working people that reside here, from the fields to the hospitality industry. The hard working class of the Coachella Valley keeps me motivated. 2020 has been one of the most unpredictable years, replete with elections, protests and pandemic. How would you describe these uncertain times in your own words? Ugh it’s been a rough year, not only socially but politically. What a dumpster fire. Yeah, I guess that’s how I would describe 2020 as a “dumpster fire.” With that said, seeing people come together this summer advocating for the marginalized was inspiring and hopefully for a better future. Politically to be 100% honest, I don’t know how I feel. For the first time, I

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In the spring of 2020, when the protests were taking over daily news cycles, what impact did it have on you personally and artistically? Personally, I felt a sense of frustration and hope all in one. The frustration came from the way they were covered for the most part as violent outcries when a lot of good was happening during the day in most cases. Education and community outreach took place in most protests, but that’s not what the media wanted to portray unfortunately. In the past, you spent 3 years in the Army. How did that experience shape your worldview today? I learned a lot in the military, more than I thought I did when I first got out. I didn’t quite fit in anywhere. When I first entered the civilian world, it took me about 5 years to find my path. The drive and determination I have today, I owe to the service and also my mom. But the military gave me that real push to not take “No” for an answer, which has come real handy in the Art World that is filled with rejections. Let’s talk about the genesis of “Tu Lucha Es Mi Lucha.” At what point did you start thinking about creating the artwork? Can you walk us through the creative process and the message behind it? I always have ideas even before this summer. I write a lot down in a booklet I have. This particular one had been floating around in my head in different forms all of 2020. When the murder of George Floyd happened and the reaction from people occurred, it all came together. Just before the protest this summer, there had been numerous attacks on Latino street vendors by African Americans. I started noticing in various pages on social media that a real feud had begun between Blacks and

Latinos. For a few months, it appeared that every other week there was an attack on a street vendor and the tensions just grew and grew. When the George Floyd protest begun, I noticed a lot of Latinos especially men weren’t interested in showing support to the BLM movement. Now, some of that is street politics, some is ignorance, some is racial, and some of it felt like it was a “why would I support them, they never came out for us“ kind of attitude. Like, they weren’t supporting us when vendors were getting robbed and beat, so why would we back them now? I saw a lot of that on social media, and it bugged me so much because at the end of the day, we as a people need to be together since we share the same fight. The chains represent a breaking from the norms that we grew up with to dislike each other, the butterflies represent our playful and hopeful youth. The fist is a fight to break the cycle with the rose representing the birth of a new alliance. That was my meaning, but maybe it means something different to someone else, and that’s ok. On your social media, it mentions the original “Tu Lucha Es Mi Lucha” was for a small solo show in November at Thinkspace Gallery in LA. What has been the response from viewers so far? Has the original been sold? On social media it has gotten great response, no push back. Maybe a few misguided people who think it’s some anti-white art as in us vs them. My goal was to create a piece representing unity between two cultures that have been long at odds and need to come together for the betterment of our people. Yes the original sold at the gallery. Unfortunately because of COVID only a handful of people got to see it along with the other paintings in person. Once the original was complete, you produced a limited edition 16x20 giclee on archival paper and were able to raise $2522 to two organizations: A Place Called Home & Border Kindness. Can you tell us about these organizations and why you chose those in particular? Well I wanted to donate to two organizations that I felt represented part of the struggle for the two cultures represented in the painting. Immigrants like myself are a large part of the Latino community and Border Kindness does amazing work in the community. APCH I found when I was searching for a second place to donate. After reading their mission statement, I felt they were the best choice for the second donation. Helping our youth in the inner city through art is exactly what our kids need.

With all the uncertainties this year, what has been a silver lining for you in 2020? It’s really hard to find the bright side to a year that has seen so much devastation to so many industries like restaurants and so many more. So for me, the silver lining is that my family despite the chaos is healthy and safe. What are you working on next? I am currently working on some commissions, but in the new year, I am working on a small series for Antler Gallery in Portland OR and a couple other projects with Thinkspace. Anything else you would like to add? Oh boy, I think I said a lot lol. I’ll leave with a little advise from my favorite part of a poem Desiderata by Max Ehrmann “You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.” - Max Ehrmann 1927

web: ARTEDEGUSTAVO.COM

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SAVE ART SPACE interview JORGE PEREZCHICA

Founded in 2015, SaveArtSpace is a non-profit organization co-founded by Travis Rix and Justin Aversano. The organization works to create an urban gallery experience, launching exhibitions that address intersectional themes and foster a progressive message of social change. By placing culture over commercialism, SaveArtSpace aims to empower artists from all walks of life and inspire a new generation of young creatives and activists. SaveArtSpace presented a group public art exhibition on billboards throughout the Coachella Valley, CA in 2020. SaveArtSpace transformed advertisement space into public art by and for the local community. With the aim at providing artists opportunities to display their work and inspire a new generation of artists. Curated by Sofía Enríquez. Selected artists in 2020 are Janet Zepeda, Brian Pescador, and Wane Kan. The public exhibition was on view for one month in spring 2020. Coachella Magazine reached out to ArtSpace Co-founder Justin Aversano and Coachella Valley based artist Sofia Enriquez to tell us more about their experience. Art Space Co-founder Justin Aversano How did Save Art Space come together in the Coachella Valley from start to finish? JUSTIN AVERSANO: This public art exhibition came to fruition in the Coachella Valley with Sofia Enriquez as a curator because we wanted to support more artists outside of Los Angeles and in the desert. We know and have showcased Sofia’s work in the past for a project called, 100% LA with Otis College in 2018, where Sofia had attended. Our organization continues to work with past artists and provides opportunities for them to be

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curators and discover new artists through our open call platform. The local artists were selected by Sofia and showcased as close to their homes as possible. What was the response from community? We had a marvelous response, especially since covid-19 restrictions kept people indoors, this was a place for people to enjoy artwork in a safe way. Although, we had never intended or thought about a pandemic while we were planning this exhibition and holding the open call since December. These public art spaces became a beacon of hope in a difficult time for the local community. With the pandemic surging and Coachella canceled in 2020, what impact did this have on the project? Fortunately, the cancellation did not affect us. We had minor intentions of cross-promoting with the Coachella Festival, as this project was meant solely for the citizens of Coachella Valley to enjoy. In the end, it allowed the true desert dwellers to enjoy what was made by and for their artists. Anything else you’d like to add? If you would like to have a public art exhibition in your neighborhood. Please, reach out to us and we will do our best to bring art to your community. Additionally, you can hold a gofundme fundraiser if you’d like to start your own public art show on billboards! We encourage you to submit your artwork at saveartspace.org/submit and if you’d like to donate to our nonprofit to keep supporting artists in your area or across the country you can do that at saveartspace.org/donate

BRIAN PESCADOR “THE KISS PHOTO” Public Art Location: 55797 Grapefruit Blvd, Coachella, CA

I call this photograph “The Kiss Photo.” I shot it at a Coachella Fest Party in 2009 in Indio, CA. This is the most iconic photo I have ever shot to date. The way it was made was on 35mm color film...All I wanted to do was to see if I could get them to make out as I shot their photo. I went up to both of them, and I asked them, “Will you guys make out for me as I take your photo?” They both agreed. — BRIAN PESCADOR

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WANE KAN “MESOAMERICAN UKIYO-E” Public Art Location: 16760 Palm Dr, Desert Hot Springs, CA (photo by Wane Kan)

I created this picture to celebrate the combination of cultures. My Chinese-Mexican heritage has led me to this path of experimentation. I try to honor the cultures incorporated into my artwork through family, travel, and continual studying. (2020) has been a true test for us all. I took a lot of time reflecting on what mattered most to me since my livelihood was put on pause. I realized my passion for art and creating is a huge driving force in my being. Nobody can take away that spark from me, so I will continue to adapt and move forward. I’m naturally optimistic, so to me, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. — WANE KAN (IRON PALM TATTOO)

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JANET ZEPEDA “ALWAYS HURTING” PUBLIC ART LOCATION: 6000 N INDIAN CANYON DR, PALM SPRINGS, CA (photo by by Hannah La Liberte)

Coachella Valley based artist/curator Sofia Enriquez Describe your experience collaborating with Save Art Space in 2020? SOFIA ENRIQUEZ: I really loved the process of finding what pieces spoke to me and what I thought would look good on a billboard. What kind of art were you looking for? I was looking for a diverse set of artists and styles that wouldn’t typically be put on billboards here. It’s nice to be able to change the vibe from old advertisements to real art from people in the valley. Three artists were selected: Brian Pescador, Janet Zepeda and Wane Kan. What can you tell us about the them and their works? I’ve been a huge fan of all three of them. Brian is one of the most talented Photographers out here in the Coachella Valley. He’s prolific and has a talent for capturing special moments with people without staging. Janet, is a talented illustrator that tells her story within her drawings and it’s amazing to be invited into her world of monsters, emotions, and humor.

Wane Kan, is such a rad tattoo artist and is one of the owners of Iron Palm Tattoo in Palm Springs. I feel like if you see a Wane piece on someone, you already know it’s Wane’s work because he has that special unique style, and that takes years to develop as an artist. I respect his artwork and the many hours is takes to be where he is now in his career. What was the most important lesson you came away with in 2020? Everything is connected...so take care of yourself, your loved ones, and your community. What are five words you’d use to describe yourself and your work ethic? I just want to paint. Any advice for artists looking to create installations in public spaces? Ask yourself what you want to do, then do it. Support comes after you make the decision. Art is a gift, and the public WANTS IT. web SAVEARTSPACE.ORG

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JEVPIC

FA U LT L I N E MEDITATION text + photos JORGE PEREZCHICA

ollow @jevpic on Instagram stories and you’ll often see him skateboarding in downtown Palm Springs with his long hair blowing in the wind. He speaks carefree and animated as he waxes poetic on camera. Scroll through Jevpic’s image gallery and you’ll find posts ranging from street style, artwork, celebrities, and models set against mid-century scenes, palm trees, cerulean blue skies and retro cars. His images are captured in a vivid, hyper color palette — that’s signature Jevpic. But lately, the artist has been expanding his repertoire, exploring new creative avenues such as fine art painting, installation works and collaborating with local gallery spaces. In 2020, the artist took on his biggest commissioned project of his career: Fault Line Meditation. The installation awarded by the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission was first presented in a group show “30x30” at the Palm Springs Art Museum in May 2019.

LEFT: Jevpic stands on the path of Fault Line Meditation.

Production started and was completed in the summer of 2020 under intense duress from a heat wave reaching 120 degree temperatures in the desert. And as COVID-19 was surging across the country, Jevpic’s mother contacted the virus and passed away. The Fault Line’s intension, says the artist, is to create a walking path in the shape of San Andreas Fault. Painted in a striking red hue, the path invites audiences on a metaphoric hike reducing tension and shifting focus from blame to reflection. There are two signs along the path that read: “Not Yours” and “Not Mine.” These are to help remind viewers that the fault’s are so much bigger than us. “We can’t own them and we definitely can’t let them define us, but we should allow them to guide us,” says Jevpic. The installation is both intimately personal but also resonates to people of all walks of life. In these polarizing times by politics, protests and pandemic — Jevpic wants to have a conversation about forgiveness and healing.

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Hi Jevpic, how are you doing? You live in the heart of downtown Palm Springs and much of your art reflects a lifestyle, color and brightness of the city. Where did you grow up and what brought you to the area? Thanks for having me; I feel blessed to be here. I grew up in a world so long ago, made of corn and cows devoid of culture and with very few people. I was considered one of the few “coloreds” in town and the IL, IN & KY tri-state area. It was less than desirable and my childhood was so bad. I was taken from my mother by the state. Thankfully, a vivid imagination saved me and years of guidance from St. Mary’s superfluity of nuns, The Baptist Children’s Home and several foster homes lead me to getting emancipated when I was 15. I knew I wasn’t meant to be on a farm in middle America; so I dreamt heading to a coast. New York seemed like it would be cold living in the subway and I pictured California being warm sleeping on a beach. Luckily, I didn’t have to do that but that’s what brought me here. You studied trend analysis at FIDM, photography at Art Center of Design and work in various mediums. As a creative, what inspires you and keeps you motivated each day? It’s sooooo hard to stay self-motivated. Now, I’m prepared for the next big traumatic moment. So when silence and stillness roll in, it can become unsettling. I didn’t want to accept this and I believe in reconditioning, so I starting researching and I read that, I’m suppose to focus on “the why” the reason or the purpose of what it is I’m doing or wanting to do. If I hold that in my heart that will motivate me to DO. So anytime I’m down I think of my “why” which becomes my motivation. I also believe in the idea of “Just Doing.” As in just start doing something, anything even just making your bed, or you will continue to lay in it. I have to stretch in bed, give cuddles to my dogs, jump into shoes and onto the skateboard. Instantly when i’m moving and have the sun on my face, my mind, spirit and productivity levels all elevate. How did you adjust to the quarantine life in 2020? For some peculiar reason the pandemic’s chaos, shame, loss, stress and pain feel reminiscent of what I’ve experienced my entire life. At first, I was jolted, I lost my job, my mom, my freedom to not wear a mask, lost my favorite restaurant, lost followers, and friends. It kept getting darker and yet I know the light is gonna shine BRIGHT. I’ve survived past “pandemics” and thrived by never giving up, being ridiculously positive, brutally resilient, and by practicing reconditioning exercises. 2020 has been one of the most unpredictable years of our times and shutdown many major events. What did you miss most?

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Jevpic presents Fault Line Meditation at “30x30” group show. May 2019, Palm Springs Art Museum

I feel stupid saying this but, Coachella. I go every year, twice a year. I get a dose of culture, forecast trends, mingle with celebrities, dance with strangers, live music, public art, outrageous outfits and an insane amount of PDA on every level. At some point, I go sit on a hill to look at the stages packed with people dancing to different types of music, equally as passionately, trip out on giant monitors with psychedelic visuals and watch million dollar light shows, all while the earth vibrates from the car-sized speakers dotted along the polo field. It’s like you feel the music before you hear it. Then I sit in deep gratitude to witness so much love, good vibes and energy being pumped into the world to counter all the negative. Over the years, installation art has been gaining popularity at festivals and the launch of Desert X in 2017 has added more momentum to the field. At what point in your career did you start exploring installation art? Hard to say because, I remember the magical drive to Mini Glacier National Park, the performance from the original cast of Cats, the architecture of Gaudi, Gehry & Calatrava, The Lincoln Memorial, a video about Andy Goldsworthy, the Rose Parade, dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum, the St. Louis Arch, Hearst Castle and the pyramids. I consider that all public art and I saw them before Levitating Mass, Cloud Gate, or Prada Marfa. All of it inspired me and making art for the people seemed like a natural evolution. But what made it seem possible was experiencing Coachella so many times and watching local and international artist display on a large scale made me realize, “I can do that too.”

AT FIRST, I WAS JOLTED. I LOST MY JOB, MY MOM, MY FREEDOM TO NOT WEAR A MASK, LOST MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT, LOST FOLLOWERS, AND FRIENDS. IT KEPT GETTING DARKER AND YET I KNOW, THE LIGHT IS GONNA SHINE BRIGHT. — JEVPIC

Let’s talk about the “Fault-Line Meditation.” You presented a concept for the installation in May 2019 for the 30x30 show at the Palm Springs Art Museum. Can you share with us the origin story and meaning? Faults had been a reoccurring theme in my life and I realized I’m not the only one and that most humans could relate. I also knew that the San Andreas Fault went through the Coachella Valley and it doesn’t take a Pulitzer recipient to recognize the play on words. I thought about fears around faults and how I’ve survived them through self-reflection, expression and all the sudden The Fault Line Meditation came to mind. A path in the shape of the San Andreas Fault. I looked up the shape of the fault line and it showed the outline of it in bright red, which is associated with a variety of strong feelings, including passion, love, anger and fear. So I took that as a sign from the universe to paint the path red. I then added two signs “Not Yours” and “Not Mine” to remind everyone that it isn’t someone fault, it’s just a fault that will be there long after we’re gone; so learn a lesson and move on. The path also glows bright red, so it can literally illuminate the way in the darkness. Everyone gets it on some level because it’s simple and it plays to both fun-loving tourists and contemplative explorers. Once you got the project approved, what was the logistics and creative process from idea to completion? I got approved in February 2020, finished the paper work in April, and the pandemic hit hard May 1st with deaths surpassing 4,000. The city couldn’t help me with a crew or machinery because of COVID-19 restrictions. Never-the-less I put on a mask, went down to the site and started building it with my own two hands. By July the heat reached triple digits and was so relentless. I could only work when the sun went down till 2 or 3am in the morning, several weeks in a row. I would put on music, grab a shovel and live stream it to the fans and spontaneously friends would show up at all hours of the night, helping out by laying plaster, shoveling sand, and

Jevpic starts building the Fault Line Meditation Summer of 2020. Palm Springs, COACHELLA MAGAZINE CA. 29

THE PATH ALSO GLOWS BRIGHT RED, SO IT CAN LITERALLY ILLUMINATE THE WAY IN THE DARKNESS. EVERYONE GETS IT ON SOME LEVEL BECAUSE IT’S SIMPLE AND IT PLAYS TO BOTH FUN-LOVING TOURISTS AND CONTEMPLATIVE EXPLORERS. — JEVPIC

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pushing hundred pound wheelbarrows. Simultaneously the nation is going stir crazy from months of the StayAt-Home order, people are going broke, the most divisive-fear-driven election in history was avalanching through our collective conscious and the COVID-19 death toll was rising by the tens of thousands. As so many were grieving, I felt guilty having gratitude for the opportunity to build art and have the largest commission of my career. I was able to do something when so many people couldn’t and that was because of all the people that helped me along the way. Everyday when I was playing in the dirt, I thought about people dying alone in ICUs, dads out of jobs sitting at home, children not getting the education they need, people not being able to pay their rent, about how all the independent business are out of business and how bad it sucks for kids like me to not be able to go to our mom’s funeral. The Fault Line Meditation just kept getting deeper with meaning as the days unfolded. It may be the only piece of public art made and started at the beginning of the pandemic, while it’s still being worked on today. The Fault-Line Meditation has been on display since summer 2020. What conversation do you want to have with the viewers? I want the viewers to practice critical thinking and to self-reflect on something they’re contracted around or can’t let go of. I want them to forgive, accept, learn and move on. l want them to have more empathy, realizing EVERYONE walks their own “fault line” and no matter where they fall on Richter Scale, their feelings are sometimes unshakable. The pain incomparable, yet something we all have in common. I want us all to have a conversation about forgiveness, healing and expansion. If there’s a silver lining to 2020, what would it be? Like I said earlier, I had a lot of loss this year due to COVID-19 and I don’t want to be a hypocrite; it fuc*ing sucked and now I’m choking on my tears. On the other hand I want to practice what I preach and learn from “the fault” and move on. Leanne Rimes said, “I will accept what I can not change,” none of us can change the past but we can all do something about the future. So the silver-lining would the world-wide forced self-reflection, the re-prioritization of what or who is of value and it gives us a peek into the minds of our neighbors and other people we interact with daily. What’s next? I’m writing a dark musical that will premiere locally before going to Broadway. I’m guiding tours of The Fault Line Meditation by appointment and I’m looking for new spots around California to make public art, like a maze out of dirty laundry or something. IG @JEVPIC @THEFAULTLINEMEDITATION COACHELLA MAGAZINE

MAIN STREET

BENCH PROJECT text+photos JORGE PEREZCHICA

It’s the beginning of new decade and Tysen Knight, artist, filmmaker and mentor is standing tall and riding high. It seems like not a day goes by the the prolific artist isn’t painting a new mural or promoting projects. In late 2019, I ran across Tysen in downtown Palm Springs. The artist was busy painting over ordinary benches and transforming them into works of art with his signature style of bold colors and zigzag lines. Overall, Tysen painted 10 benches along Palm Canyon. Some of them adorn icons from pop culture such as Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo and Lucille Ball. Tysen’s aesthetic can be described as a cross between street and pop-art. He gained attention when American Documentary Film Festival (AMDOCS) screened his latest “The Art of the Hustle: Street Art Documentary.” Palm Springs Public Arts Commission took notice and asked him to be lead artist for the launch of phase 1: Main Street Bench Project. In 2020, Tysen stepped into the role of lead supervisor for phase 2 and 3. Working with a multitude of local artists, over 50 benches have been painted throughout the city - including the airport, city hall, convention center and downtown.

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Tysen Knight stands on his painted bench adorned with a portrait of Basquiat. COACHELLA MAGAZINE CA. 33 Downtown Palm Springs,

“Be inspired” is a message you often write on social media. What has helped you stay optimistic and inspired in the age of COVID? I have been able to build important and beautiful bonds with family, friends and my students I mentor. My levels of appreciation, humility and aspiration is shinning brighter than ever before right now. How did Main Street Bench project come together? I was chosen by The Palm Springs Public Arts Commission. Russell Pritchard (Commissioner) attended the AMDOCS Film Festival for a screening of my film The Art of the Hustle: Street Art Documentary. After that, I was contacted by the commission to be the lead artist for The Street Bench Pilot Project in 2019 and now we have expanded the project throughout the city and also giving many artists the opportunity to display their artwork and creativity. In phase 1, you painted ten benches, a few of them feature icons from pop culture. What was your creative approach to the project? The creative approach was a collective effort between PSPAC, Main Street and myself on which icons would appear on the benches. As far as color schemes and designs I had complete creative control.

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Under phase 2 and 3, your role shifted to lead supervisor for the project. What did you learn from the experience? I have learned about the uniqueness of each artist and their approach to creativity. There’s not that many times as an artist that you will get to work with so many amazing and talented individuals. All artist are different and quirky, so being able to vibe with so many different personalities that have the same common goals and passions for art is priceless. How has the city embraced the bench project so far? It’s expanding all over the city. We are now at the airport and city hall. This is a one of kind project. It has definitely raised the moral and spirit of the City of Palm Springs. What message do you have for us moving onto 2021? Lets practice tolerance and empathy towards each other. #BeINSPIRED!

SIGN-UP ON THE ARTIST REGISTRY TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUTURE ART PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS: PSPUBLICARTS.COM

KYLIE KNIGHT - SUN SPOT The work I completed for the Palm Springs bench project was definitely one of the most challenging, but also, most rewarding of artistic endeavors I’ve had the opportunity to work on. The entirety of the bench was painted during a desert heat wave where daytime temperatures were getting up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, so in order to work I’d arrive before the sun came up or after it had already set, and even then the ground radiated heat that made the paint dry upon contact. It was definitely a learning experience as well as a personal test of my patience, but the feedback from passersby made the whole thing worthwhile, and the help from Tysen Knight and the Palm Springs Art Committee was nothing short of extraordinary. I like to think that the hardships along the way made the finished product that much more sweet, and I feel lucky to be a part of the iconic history of downtown Palm Springs.

TRAVIS STUDIO - SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND I’ve had a fantastic experience working with the Palm Springs Public Arts Council creating a number of exciting projects. I tend to spend a lot my time working in my studio, so to have the chance to work in public and meet our amazing locals and visitors was a great experience. Everyone I met was excited and interested in watching us create. We truly have an amazing community.

ZACH BOYLES - MY LITTLE PATCH Participating in the Main Street Bench Project has been a highlight to an otherwise dreary and depressing year. My little Patch on the sidewalk became a refuge from the turbulence of 2020. To be completely honest, painting a concrete bench in the middle of July kind of sucks, but I was so happy to get out of the house after having selfquarantined for 3 months that I didn’t mind the heat. I am extremely thankful to the Palm Springs Public Arts Commission, Joy at Crystal Fantasy and Tysen Knight for the opportunity.

FRANK LEMUS - MEASUREMENTS Based on the nature of geometric shapes and how they fit together. The project was well organized and fun to participateW in. While I was painting, the people passing by along with business owners expressed how much they liked the project and they wanted to see all the benches painted.

SHANAH CHOMSINSUB - MEANWHILE... My bench and most of my artwork is inspired by nostalgia. I’m a kid at heart with a love for comics and vintage cartoons. I chose Adam West because of his awesome 1966 batman but also what he’s meant for Palm Springs.

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DAYS OF

LOS MUERTOS interview+photos JORGE PEREZCHICA

Nicho (shadow box) by CARLOS RAMIREZ COACHELLA MAGAZINE 37

unnylands’ observation of Coachella Valley Days of Los Muertos took place October 28 through November 1st. Despite COVID-19 concerns, the show safely goes on to celebrate this annual family tradition. With face masks required and health protocols in place, guests were invited to walk the gardens decorated with giant calaveras (skulls), papel picado (decorative cut paper), nichos (shadow boxes) created by local artists, and ofrendas (altars) designed by local nonprofit organizations. Sunnylands, the former Annenberg Estate, located in Rancho Mirage, California, is a 200acre estate currently run by The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, a nonprofit organization. Nine acres of desert gardens surround Sunnylands Center. Designed by landscape architect James Burnett, the gardens include more than 53,000 individual plants.

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Days of Los Muertos participants include: Palm Springs Art Musuem, The S.C.R.A.P. Gallery, Animal Samaritans, Palm Springs Cemetery, and Raices Cultura. The handpainted nichos and giant calaveras were created in partnership with Raices Cultura. Since its inception in 2004, Raices Cultura has always operated as a small group of individuals interested in community engagement and the creation of beneficial social change. Coachella Magazine reached out to Marnie Navarro, the first-ever Executive Director of Raices Cultura to discuss her vision of Days of Los Muertos, collaborating with Sunnylands, navigating through the pandemic and more. Hi Marnie. Can you tell us about your background as an artist and creative approach? I’m a multidisciplinary artist informed by interdisciplinary practices and a lifelong valley resident. My creative output encompasses studio-based practices, curatorial practice, education-based art programs, and

“A Better Life” is of a young woman carrying her child, walking through the desert into the unknown, hoping for a better life — not just for herself but for her child. It’s a reality for most Latinos whether we experienced it first hand, our families, or to the Latino people we know in our communities who have endured the trails of Latino immigration. — MONICA MARONES

I wanted to find a way for my work to merge these two concepts together: the human figure (primarily the female figure) and teeth. In my research for looking on how I could do this in a more intriguing modality, I came across the patron saint of dentistry and teeth disease, Saint Apollonia. She was perfect for this project! The nicho became the ideal opportunity to honor this female figure, use my own interpretation, and focus on the human figure. — JASMINE JUE

My work consists of organized colors, chaos coming from all directions, organically and geometrically at the same time. Combined with various images of pop culture which is what my influences and inspirations come from. My geek lifestyle is very prominent in my work. I made sure to showcase that throughout my nichos piece. — TONE RUBIO

public art and community engagement. Everything in the world around me can be input or source material which is then filtered through my internal processes, whether it’s aesthetic, philosophical, logical, emotive, intuitive or some hybridity of all those things. My work manifests in many forms, often unrelated in materiality, but there is a thread running throughout that usually has to do with human behavior, interconnectedness, and exploration of the psyche. What is your role at Raices Cultura and how did your involvement begin? I am the first-ever Executive Director for this volunteerdriven grassroots organization with a 15 year history. In 2008, I participated as a volunteer artist for Dia de Los Muertos and continued to do so for various years. In 2017, I was invited to lead Raices’ youth art installation project for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and continue to fulfill that role. In 2019, I was hired as Executive Director to run the nonprofit organization. 2020 represented a rough year filled with elections, pandemic and protests. What challenges did you face organizing Days of Los Muertos at Sunnylands? Everything about it was a challenge in a sense, but that’s true for anything worth doing. Despite these challenges,

Opposite Page: Art by Monica Marones This Page: Top, art by YEHSIMING JUE. Bottom, art by Tone Rubio

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everything worked out perfectly in the bigger picture. Our annual block party in the City of Coachella with our multi-year event partner Run with Los Muertos was obviously not possible due to the pandemic. Even so, I felt it was incredibly important to create a commemorative moment for everyone in the community to still share some form of remembrance and to unify through our collective struggle and loss. I had this crazy idea about creating a special exhibition Somos Sagrados (We Are Sacred) for Dia de Los Muertos with large-scale nichos and imagined the artists I would like to see in the show. Sunnylands has always been an incredibly supportive partner institution and in discussion about collaborative efforts for this important traditional of Dia de Los Muertos, I put the exhibition idea on the table and it was met with instant enthusiasm. The whole thing was pulled together in about 3 weeks — it was wild and took constant work from everyone involved, especially the fabricator of the nichos, the visual artists, and Sunnylands and Raices staff. The response was incredible and it was so worth it - it always is. Can you walk us through the creative process. My process was to envision the artists collectively, knowing the forms of work they made, and leave their nichos completely open to their own ideas and creative decisions — that creative freedom is paramount. 40

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All communications happened via email initially and then a couple of phone calls. I mean there is a lot in between there — sourcing materials, build plans, fabrication, delivery of the nichos, artists working in their studios day and night, and final assembly & delivery of the objects. The artworks were installed in the early morning hours on the opening day. Michaeleen Gallagher, Director of Education and Community Programs at Sunnylands, was instrumental in this entire process from supporting the idea at the start to finalizing the exhibition. Together, we walked and talked about the site and matched each artist’s sacred object to the precious site that is Sunnylands, maximizing the visibility of the art and exponentiate the viewer experience through curation of the objects. How many artists/installations were created for 2020? There were a total of 8 artists who made nichos for the Somos Sagrados exhibition at Sunnylands - Aaron Hansen, Yehsiming Jue, Kylie Knight, Consuelo Marquez, Monica Morones, Carlos Ramirez, Gustavo Rimada, and Tone Rubio. The artworks are available as a joint fundraising effort for the artists and our nonprofit; interested parties can make contact via email at ddlm@ raicesdelvalle.org

My nicho has a small ceremony inside showing figures praying around a small hares jaw bone which signifies a nod to the fact of death, and behind it, an ethereal staircase leading to the universal light energy. COVID has made us all think about a passage to another realm more than usual and hopefully my creation can help ease the weight of the topic, and illustrate not an end but the birth of a new life. — AARON HANSEN

When I was invited to join the Dia De Los Muertos event at Sunnylands, I was immediately excited — then entered a state of panic. Being a Coachella native and a Mexican artist, the true challenge was in the design process. Did I want to make my nicho “palatable” for an audience primarily from the West side of the valley? Or did I want to adhere to more traditional Mexican interpretations of the holiday? Ultimately, I’m proud of my modern interpretations of traditional themes, such as the hot pink Catrina wearing a bright turquoise medical mask, looking at the viewer to see if they’re masking, too. — CONSUELO MARQUEZ

It was a privilege to be able to display my art at Sunnylands, Being such a historic location. I am extremely grateful to Raices Culturas for having me and I appreciate the great work they do in the community. — GUSTAVO RIMADA

One of the unique things I enjoy about Sunnylands is walking through the beautiful gardens. The installations complimented the environment but also made a strong social statement. What’s it like collaborating with Sunnylands and local artists of Coachella Valley? It was a dream working with Sunnylands — I would love to do more things like this! The artists are amazing. It was a huge honor to have each artist in the show and I felt very blessed by their commitment and willingness to really push and make this idea become a reality. It felt like an important first step to see artists from the desert represented at this particular site — a place with such a powerful history of peacemaking and commitment to culture, especially at a time like this with a fraught social climate and devastating pandemic impact. It was a unique respite from the current day-to-day, which is basically a life devoid of social interaction and arts and culture experiences due to the necessary shutdown. I really hope people enjoyed it; certainly for me and the artists, it was a signifier of an important shift and created a lot of joy and excitement.

Opposite Page: Art by Aaron Hansen. This Page: Top, art by Consuelo Marquez. Bottom, art by Gustavo Rimada.

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My work is all about movement, regeneration, and the constant ebb and flow of life. I was inspired by the idea that spirit truly never dies. We all go back to the same place. The sculpture gardens were a beautiful backdrop for all of the amazing works of art, and the energy in the air throughout the event was cosmic in nature. — KYLIE KNIGHT

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In the age of COVID-19, what was the reception like compared to previous editions? In Coachella, Raices invited members of the public and local organizations to place a limited number of outdoor physically-distanced ofrendas on November 1 at the new library green space. Raices staged a community ofrenda in front of our office across the street that stayed up until November 3 and we invited folks to email images of their loved ones to commemorate, which were placed on the ofrenda. We worked on a special project virtually through Zoom with the Sexuality and Gender Acceptance youth group (SAGA - Coachella Valley High School) to create an ofrenda in remembrance of the trans women of color who have been murdered. A steady stream of people stopped by throughout the day and evening — everyone wore masks and respected physical space and distanced appropriately. At Sunnylands, while I was there, folks were wearing masks for sure. One alter that stood out to me as emblematic of 2020 was #SayHerName, Black Trans Femme Women. Tell us more about this piece. Every year Sunnylands invites local organizations to create ofrendas (altares) and Raices participates each year. 2019 was the first year that I was involved in this process and I decided to create an ofrenda honoring notable Peacemakers Maya Angelou, Elijah Cummings,

and Martin Luther King, Jr. For 2020, my colleague Mariela Gonzalez and I were in the brainstorming process for our Sunnylands ofrenda. Considering the different themes, Mariela suggested SayHerName and the minute she said it, I was like “that’s it, it HAS to be that, let’s do it.” We reviewed the tragically long list of women’s names whose lives have been taken due to police brutality — it moved me to tears and most importantly, action. Of those names, we selected Sandra Bland, whose death sparked the movement itself, as well as Natasha McKenna and Breonna Taylor. Mariela produced the biographical information for each woman and together we created the ofrenda at Sunnylands. We wanted to make a traditional ofrenda and center the focus on the stories and what happened to these women. It’s difficult to talk about, but we MUST discuss these critical and alarming issues; so many people really aren’t aware and have little understanding of the impetus for the movement. When I was there one day, from a distance I observed various people stop at the ofrenda and read each story; they took their time reading every line and then had some physical reaction to it, whether they touched their chest, recoiled in disbelief, or held on tighter to a loved one next to them — person after person, I watched some form of this happen. I’m incredibly thankful that Sunnylands created space to do that, to create impact and awareness. web: RAICESCULTURA.ORG

Opposite Page: Art by Kylie Knight.. This Page: Art by Raices Cultura.

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DESERT X A CONVERSATION WITH

CÉSAR GARCÍA-ALVAREZ interview JORGE PEREZCHICA

Born in Mexico and based in LA, César García-Alvarez is the Founder and current Executive & Artistic Director of The Mistake Room (TMR)—LA’s international non-profit contemporary art space. In 2020, García-Alvarez joins returning Artistic Director Neville Wakefield as co-curator for the third edition of Desert X in the Coachella Valley. The international art exhibition will activate California’s desert landscape through site-responsive installations by renowned international contemporary artists. The biennial exhibition, which is free and open to all, has garnered international and critical acclaim. In 2019, Desert X attracted a global audience who made site visits totaling more than 400,000. Ahead of the opening in 2021, Coachella Magazine connected with GarcíaAlvarez to discuss an array of topics from planing to meeting artists, conveying Coachella Valley’s history, art in a post COVID-19 world and more.

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photo credit: LANCE COACHELLAGERBER MAGAZINE 45

Tell us about your experience researching the desert region for Desert X 2021. I love the Coachella Valley. It is such a special place and that is largely because of the people who call it home. Over the past few months I’ve been committed to doing mostly one thing—listen. I have been meeting with artists, art institutions, community organizations, and as many residents and stakeholders as I can in order to gain a deeper understanding of the Valley and all of its complexities. These conversations have been more than informational, they’ve been inspiring and at times even challenging but that is the nature of organizing an exhibition like Desert X. What the team, my co-curator and I are doing is reflecting on how the next edition of Desert X can be more meaningfully connected to the context in which it happens while also being responsive to our global moment and that is an exciting process. Is there anything specific about the desert’s history and local art scene that attracted you to Desert X? I was born in Mexicali and grew up visiting family that still lives in the Coachella Valley. This region is more than a natural landscape, it is a series of overlapping histories, cultures, and communities. It is first and foremost tribal land and acknowledging that as we work on this project is very important to us. It is also a border region that for many immigrants, like myself, is bound to stories of displacement and generational trauma. It is a focal point in the history of modernist architecture, a locale of retreat and retirement, a space of healing, but also a terrain of economic inequality and marginalization for many, particularly, people of color. The desert is many things, and that attracted me to this project, because I want to make sure that we can convey that and move beyond the few specific perceptions of this place that most people have.

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How is Desert X different from other work that you’ve done in the past? I’ve always gravitated toward unconventional contexts and platforms. My career started at an alternative art space where I got to develop a public art program and then I went on to organize exhibitions and large-scale projects in Egypt, Mexico, the Pacific, and Europe that tried to push what an exhibition could be. That’s the connecting thread in a lot of my work. What is different about Desert X in relationship to my previous work is that its audience is vastly different. On the one hand, you have artists and art enthusiasts but also a broad, diverse general public that perhaps is not as tuned into the contemporary art scene. So there is a populist dimension to the project that makes this an interesting challenge—trying to commission works that speak in tongues in a way; that can communicate to a multiplicity of viewers. What can you tell us about the upcoming portfolio reviews with members of the Desert X curatorial team? These portfolio reviews are part of our ongoing research to try to get better acquainted with the cultural scene of the Coachella Valley. In casting a wider net and inviting people to sign up for reviews, we hope to perhaps begin to tease out common areas of interest among artists and cultural makers in the region that give us more of an understanding of what is happening creatively here. I’m very much looking forward to meeting more artists from the Coachella Valley. For local artists interested in participating in Desert X 2021, what are some qualities you look for? There’s no rubric of qualities that I look for. What I can say is that I’m interested in practices that have a sense of being both from/of a place and worldly at once.

Finding that balance between the local and the global or the personal and universal is something I believe to be important in an artist’s practice. Mostly because it keeps you constantly in dialogue with something bigger than yourself, while also staying true to who you are. What shifts do you see in a post-COVID-19 world? This is a tough question because I’m still recovering from COVID-19 myself and so I’ve been processing and reflecting on this a bit. If you look at pandemics historically, you’ll see how each one has transformed how we exist in the world. They have inspired artistic movements, changed architecture and the way we build cities, and shaped how we think about illness and healing. Broadly, I think this moment is going to change our relationship to intimacy and community. We will have to re-imagine what it means to gather, to hold space with one another, to organize. I think that will be particularly challenging for historically marginalized communities whose agency and advocacy is deeply rooted in these practices. I also think this is instigating some very existential questions for art institutions and curators because we now have to think about what it means to curate beyond physical space and the bodily presence of an audience. Right now, I’ve seen most institutions scrambling to try to replicate their spaces or programs with the use of technology and I’m not sure if that’s where we need to go. That’s just an attempt to recreate the way we do things but now in an online platform. I think we have to pivot and reflect on curating as a space-making practice. We need to invest more thinking into how we generate new modalities of space altogether rather than just nostalgically hold on to what we know how to do as we attempt to translate that into platforms that weren’t built for it.

What conversations do you want to have with audiences for the third edition of Desert X in 2021? Organizing Desert X 2021 has definitely become a different kind of curatorial project now. My hope is that this will be an opportunity to create new ways to experience art. Rather than approaching these projects as just physical installations to be conditioned for a site, we will be asking what kind of conditions potential projects need to be best mediated to audiences. Then, we’ll go try to build the spaces that accommodate them. web: DESERTX.ORG DESERT X WILL OPEN MARCH 12-MAY 16, 2021 IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA.

Desert X 2021 Co-curator César Garcia-Alvarez. Photo by Ryan Orange , courtesy Desert X

DESERT X INSTALLATIONS LEFT TO RIGHT: Nancy Baker Cahill, Revolutions, 2019 Sterling Ruby, Specter, 2019 Cara Romero, Jackrabbit, Cottontail & Spirits Of The Desert, 2019 John Gerrard, Western Flag (Spindletop, Texas) 2017, 2017-2019 Photos by Lance Gerber, courtesy of Desert X COACHELLA MAGAZINE

STREET

ARTIVISM F L AT B L A CK ART SUPPL IES interview+photos JORGE PEREZCHICA

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Mural by QWEST COAST

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WE PAINT THESE SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS MURALS TO EMPOWER ALL PEOPLE, TO DEVELOP CREATIVE SOLUTIONS AND BRING AWARENESS TO LOCAL AND GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS CHALLENGES. — PETE SALCIDO, OWNER OF FLAT BLACK ART SUPPLIES

t goes without saying, 2020 was one of the most unpredictable years in recent memory — from COVID-19 to quarantine, elections, protests, Twitter tantrums, and more. After the death of George Floyd, thousands marched across America to protest police brutality. In the desert community, a collection of new murals went up in downtown Palm Springs to raise social awareness and inspire unity. These murals were championed by the leadership of Pete Salcido, owner of Flat Black Art Supplies. Through art and activism, Pete is using his platform to engage viewers and speak up when it’s necessary. Read on for the Coachella Magazine interview. Hi Pete, 2020 was a wild year. How are you doing? Hey Coachella Mag. I’m doing well considering the circumstances. And yes, 2020 was the wildest of years but here we are. When the pandemic first hit, many businesses closed up or offered limited service. How were you able to hold things down at Flat Black? So, when we first started to get word that the possibility of shutting everything down was real, I’ll admit that I didn’t take it as serious as I should. The idea that all businesses would have to shut down was really far fetched. But it happened. I soon went into survival mode and strategized as best as I could. Transitioned all my inventory into a curbside model and braced myself. I was only open twice a week but those two days that I was open gave me hope that I’d be able to stay afloat. We saw an influx in sales due to people wanting to be creative while being at home. Although the sales weren’t obviously what they were before the pandemic, the shop did ok and was able o stay afloat. What has been the biggest challenge running a business in the age of COVID? The biggest challenge I’ve faced is not being able to retain my employees or having to cut hours during the shutdown. It’s fine now but at one point neither one of my employees had a job and it really messed with me because, I felt a responsibility to make sure they were able to pay bills and help their family. I felt helpless. During the initial shutdown. I have to admit that I was extremely blessed to have the communities support.

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Let’s talk about the protests that were happening across America after the death of George Floyd. What was going through your mind at the time? And have you always been active in social causes? I was born and raised in the hood. I watched Rodney King get his ass beat by the cops on TV in the early 90’s. And I’m a bald headed Mexican American covered in tattoos. I’ve had my ass kicked by police for a simple DWM (Driving While Mexican). I was not surprised by what I saw when the cop’s brutality murdered George Floyd. The police and government in power underestimated the power of the people. Although, I don’t agree that small businesses should’ve been broken into, I feel like the protest were necessary to shine a light on what’s already been going on in America for so long. There are many cases of people of color getting murdered everyday that do not make it to the news and that’s a fact. Over the summer of 2020, several art murals popped up at business storefronts in Palm Springs, including a mural of George Floyd that read “I Can’t Breathe.” How did these artworks come together? The idea to paint a George Floyd mural was basically using my platform to send a message of social injustice. And I knew that by doing this in Palm Springs it would be controversial and would make people think. I felt it was necessary to do something. So, I called my friend Mister Alek and asked him if he’d be willing to come out and do it, and he said “Yes.” In all honesty, the original plan was to paint this mural without anyone’s permission in the middle of the night. But I knew it would get covered the next day. So, I decided to call Russell Pritchard from Palm Springs Public Arts Commission to see if he could make it happen and he did. He found us a wall within a couple days on Indian Canyon and gave us the OK. Once the city approved the mural, Mister Alek got to painting. The process of the mural painting itself was interesting to say the least. It was a sad but satisfying experience watching all the people drive by and show love for George Floyd as the mural went up. Even had several racist remarks yelled at us as commuters drove by. That made me even happier, because I knew then that our message was loud.

Opposite page: Mural in honor of George Floyd’s funeral by MR ALEK Lets Love Each Other mural by MIRANDA VILLANUEVA

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THE RETAIL PORTION OF THE SHOP IS TO PAY MY BILLS BUT THESE ART SHOWS, WORKSHOPS AND MURALS SERVE AS GATEWAY TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS. — PETE SALCIDO

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This page: Murals by EASEONE TX Opposite Page: Lady of the Valley mural by EMAXX242 Flat Black Art Supplies at Westfield Mall, Palm Desert, CA

How do you see your role in the community as a business owner? I would’ve rather put up a mural under different circumstances, but in this case like I mentioned before, I used the platform I developed to bring awareness to the message my team and I wanted to speak out about. What justice would I be doing to the community and myself if I didn’t use my platform to speak up when it’s necessary, right? Especially considering that the community is the reason I’m still in business. Urban artist use their art as their voice. Sometimes it’s simply to let people know “Hey I was here” and sometimes it’s to speak out on problems in the system. What other murals went up in Palm Springs? Soon after the George Floyd mural was completed, Russell reached out to me to plan for another set of murals that carried a message of unity within the community. These murals were to highlight equality for all ethnicities and also the LGBTQ community. Hunters night club in Downtown donated the space for us to paint and I reached out to a team of artist that I felt would represent the message well. Miranda “Nana” Villanueva, Qwest and Ease One were the artist that graced the walls in front of Hunters bar. Each artist provided a mock up and once approved we got to work. I think it’s important to point out that these murals in particular are intended to be socially engaged visual art. We are using art as a tool for social change. We paint these socially conscious murals to empower all people, to develop creative solutions and bring awareness to local and global human rights challenges. I feel like it brought a lot of artist together for one great cause. There’s a new mural at Westfield “Lady of the Valley. What can you tell us about the artwork? The Lady of the Valley mural is intended to represent protection from all the bad in the world. She watches over all of us and fights away the negativity. I called my boy Maxxer to paint this mural because I knew he’d capture the image in my head and transfer it to the wall

the way it should be. The whole mural went up in two days and Maxxer worked his ass off to make it happen. The mural is also a thank you gesture to the city of Palm Desert for the support with the Street event and other murals. And also, it’s pretty bad ass to drive by my shop and see this big ass mural staring at you. You know you’re at Flat Black when you see that mural. From group art shows to Bitcoin workshops. Tell us more about these events coming up in 2021. We have a series of group art shows coming up to start the new year in Flat Black Art Supply. But obviously with all the necessary precautions due to COVID restrictions. These art shows will be different in that we will keep the crowds moving instead of trying to keep everyone there. I just want to see people have some fun and look at some good art, that’s all. As far as the Bitcoin workshop goes, we decided to bring on Rowland Akinduro (aka Rowlow). Rowlow is filled with the knowledge we felt would be perfect for an introduction to Bitcoin workshop. And later move on to more advanced workshops. The reason I do these workshops is because I can’t think of a better way to leave a legacy behind than someone remembering the shop by something they learned there that they can use in their everyday life. The retail portion of the shop is to pay my bills but these art shows, workshops and murals serve as gateway to bigger and better things. What are you looking forward to most in 2021? I have joined forces with locals Provoked and Erick Becerril from the CV Food Park to establish a non profit we call CV C.A.R.E which is an extension of all the community work we’ve already been doing. Everything else I’m basically just going with the flow and taking on new opportunities as the come. Flat Black Art Supply is hitting its 6th year in business this year and I’m grateful for how far its come. The goal is to grow more than the last year. Much Love. IG @FLAT_BLACK_SHOP

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UNCERTAIN TIMES CREATIVITY AMIDST PANDEMIC AND PROTEST LA QUINTA MUSEUM interview JORGE PEREZCHICA

“In these uncertain times...” The La Quinta Museum has invited local artists to explore the questions we’ve all been grappling with: anxiety and peace, scarcity and abundance, solitude and connection, bleakness and beauty, confusion and clarity. Each of us is experiencing these uncertain times in a different way, and through this exhibition, we can connect with the insights of others, delve into their expression, and weave a network of experiences that add to our own. Coachella Magazine interview with Marian Moctezuma, Museum Associate at La Quinta Museum Tell us a bit about your background and duties at the La Quinta Museum? Hi! I am Mariana Moctezuma (she/her/hers) a museum professional who is lucky to call both the Coachella Valley and Mexico City her home. After graduating I worked in the Museo Franz Mayer and the Museo del Objeto del Objeto MODO in Mexico City, and in 2018 I started my job at the La Quinta Museum. La Quinta Museum is a free admission communityfocused museum which mission is to preserve the past, enrich the present and enhance the future for all

generations. Since we are a small museum, Museum Director Sharla Fox and staff members Kim Richards, Ann Wolfe and myself work together on planning, creating and installing our temporary and permanent exhibits as well as running the programs we offer to the public. I would say my favorite part of the job is designing and installing exhibits and also managing our social media platforms. Many businesses were forced to close due to the COVID-19. What impact has the pandemic had on the museum in 2020? What obstacles has it overcome? The museum has been closed to the public since March, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At first It was challenging to adapt to new modalities because the museum used to be a space to meet for social interaction before pandemic times; nonetheless, we were able to learn and create a virtual space where we could still connect with our community through virtual programing. We are currently working on planning new exhibits and how visits will work once we are able to re-open, but definitely keeping our virtual-programing game strong.

THIS PAGE: Dianne Lynn Benanti “George Floyd,” Ann Wolfe “Interdependency,” Mariana Moctezuma “Love in The time of Covid” OPPOSITE PAGE: Michael Angelo “Coachella Valley Farm Workers,” Susan Gresto “Aunt Mary,” Cheryl Goettemoeller “ Solace Within” Ann Leiboh “Of Two Minds,” Polly Lunetto “Bite Sized Bits of Encouragement,” Lunafora “Political Theater, Protest and Pandemic”

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How did “Uncertain Times” come together – from planning to going live on YouTube? Before the COVID-19 pandemic we were exhibiting Salton Sea Stories and planning the exhibit that we would have called “Desert Views, 2020.” We had this vision of putting together an exhibit where a diverse group of community members of the Coachella Valley would participate with their story and thoughts about our valley, accompanied with a series of photographs. We didn’t know what was coming… We stopped all our planning during the lockdown. However, this idea helped us come up and create the Uncertain Times exhibit.

You submitted a piece titled “Love In The time of COVID.” Tell us about the artwork and the meaning. Art has always been my passion and it helped my sanity during these times. The title it’s a take on Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ novel Love in the Time of Cholera which basically is about love as an emotional and physical plague. Different types of emotions filled me during the quarantine. Self-portraits and family portraits led me to a deep journey of self-reflect that changed my perspective on life in a positive way. This time of COVID has taught me a lot more about love and how to value relationships, life and also death.

This exhibit is an insightful exploration of the questions we’ve been grappling around during this extraordinary year that has been 2020, going through a pandemic and social injustices, really uncertain times. When we went back to work after the quarantine we invited local artists to share their art and insights under the theme “Something I Realized” to be displayed in the museum, but the opening dates were and still are as uncertain as ever so we decided to share their artwork online. We were excited to see such a good response from artists and from poets! (37 artists and 14 poets) The exhibit profiles each of them and their piece in a short video in our YouTube channel and the exhibit website: uncertaintimeslqmuseum.art

In lieu of an in-person show, La Quinta Museum also launched an outdoors exhibit in December. Uncertain Times Illuminated. Tell us about it. When we put our call for artists, we were looking forward to showing the artwork and poetry on the walls of the La Quinta Museum, but then, of course 2020 has had different plans. So, if we can’t show the art IN the museum we thought to feature it ON the museum! We’re calling it Uncertain Times: Illumination, and we’ll be projecting the artwork, large scale and lit up, onto the front of the museum. We are projecting every Saturday of the month of December for people who may want to drive by or walk by the museum from 5pm to 9pm. Follow the social distance guidelines. Plan to wear a face mask.

For the exhibit, I focused mainly on curating the art videos and creating the website where our exhibit can live and probably be more impactful as it reaches people in other countries too. Now I just make sure everyone is featured on our social media platforms. This project is still going as we speak, but we have been working on it since June when we went back to work.

What do you hope the public comes away with from the online and illumination experience? We hope our community can still enjoy their museum even if it’s not open to the public, yet. We want to show our museum’s still alive! web UNCERTAINTIMESLQMUSEUM.ART COACHELLA MAGAZINE

M USIC

photo by HOOPLA EIO courtesy of Slipping Into Darkness

SLIPPING INTO DARKNESS interview JORGE PEREZCHICA

Slipping into Darkness is an alternative rock band from Desert Hot Springs, CA that was formed in 2011. The members include Michael Durazo (vocals/guitar), Nigel Dettelbach (bass), Adrian Carreno (lead guitar), emAnuel (guitar), Damian Garcia (drums). Collectively, they share a passion for 60s and 70s rock ‘n’ roll music. After building a following in the local desert scene, the group were invited to perform at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Desert Daze. In the summer of 2020, the band released their much anticipated album “Second Wind for Our Love.” The band has been playing together for a decade now. How’d you first meet and what keeps you guys together? What keeps us together has to be that, we have an adoration for music. We are truly passionate about it. Life seems boring without it and honestly we couldn’t see ourselves not playing music. Also, we enjoy spending time together. We are bandmates, but we are also really good friends. Kind of like brothers. We know bands that don’t get along at all and we are lucky to enjoy the good times in and out of the band. Now that “Second Wind for Our Love” is out, what was the biggest challenge releasing an album in a pandemic? The album was 90% finished by late 2019, we were just putting finishing touches on it. Then when we had it 56

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ready, the pandemic came and we were in limbo with the whole world for a bit. After time though, we decided that even if we couldn’t release it with the original plans the best thing to do was to finally have people listen to this thing we had been brewing for a while. It felt great and I think it motivated us even more to keep making music. The hardest thing about releasing the album during the pandemic was how to properly promote it when you can’t even play a damn show, lol. We still had social media and digital platforms to move around in, but we are old school. Nothing like a good live show to get your music out there. The best we could do was release it on vinyl and upload it to all digital platforms. We still have big plans for 2021 if the world doesn’t end. I hear influences from the 60’s and 70’s, but with a refreshingly contemporary twist. What direction was the band going for with this album thematically? We really didn’t plan a direction or a game plan for the album, but we did feel the shift in sound. The only thing we consciously decided on was to record out of our comfort zone and go for a more polished sound. That’s why we decided to record with Eduardo Arenas and Pete Dee. We were in really good hands and they helped us really sharpen our sound.

“Second Wind for Our Love” was produced by Eduardo Arenas of Chicano Batman and Pete Dee of The Adicts. How did you guys first meet? And what was it like working with them? We had met Eduardo back in 2013 when we opened up for Chicano Batman in L.A. at Harvard and Stone. Those guys have always been like older brothers to us and even from that first show before they got big, we always maintained a good relationship with them because we always admired them as musicians and as people. Absolute professionals and great spirits. When we were looking for someone to record the album, we mentioned it to Eduardo and he jumped right on it, which for us was a huge honor. We had heard his debut album “Nariz” and we loved the sound quality just as much as the songs, so we knew we were in good hands. He has an amazing ear, he really knows how to put life in a song. When we were recording, he really helped us out in trimming the fat on the songs and give it a pulse, which is really tricky to do when you are recording. He really understood us and highlighted our attributes instead of changing our sound. Pete Dee we met at The Hood when our friends from Facelift opened up for the Adicts and we asked to play a quick song in between their set. After the show, he complimented our sounds and we exchanged contacts. From there, it just kind of kicked off into a great relationship and we eventually went on tour with them. We asked Pete if he would like to co-produce the album. He agreed and took us under his wing. Recording with Pete was a great experience as well. He has great instincts on what is going to work and what isn’t, so he doesn’t really waste time. He is also a lot more experimental than we thought he was going to be and it really helped us think outside the box a lot more. He also has a much more hands on approach to recording. He’s always near you and likes to guide your sound which was a lot different than we are used to, but in good way. Also, he has amazing stories from all his years playing music and that always kept the atmosphere alive.

HOW DOES IT FEEL - video by Sergio Cruz & Damien Garcia SECOND WIND FOR OUR LOVE - video by Dookiemeno

playing these songs your band has crafted little by a little and having people enjoy the full sound of something you put your heart into. It’s hard to describe, it’s one of those things you have to live through to really understand it. There is this weird exchange of energy from the band to the crowd, like playing ping-pong with souls. And if you were able to deliver a great show, you feel connected with those people. It’s sounds cheesy but that’s what it is. That’s probably what we miss the most. What can fans expect next in 2021? If this damn vaccine works or we get herd immunity or something, we hope life returns to normal just like everyone else hopes. After that, we hope to play as much as we can to truly give our album the attention it deserves. We have everything set now as a band, a great album to promote, and we are truly passionate about music. We hope to keep busy this year and many years to come.

Slipping Into Darkness appears in the PAYDIRT soundtrack from local filmmaker Christian Sesma. What can you tell us about that project? For PAYDIRT, it really kind of happened out of the blue. We got into contact with Christian through a relative who knows him and he really enjoyed the songs on the album. He asked us if he could use them for the soundtrack and we have always enjoyed collaborating with other art forms, so it was a no-brainer for us. Also knowing Val Kilmer was going to be in it was huge. With the pandemic shutting down venues and events, what do you miss most about playing live shows? Yeah we miss playing festivals, Coachella and Desert Daze were amazing experiences and it was an honor to play those. What we miss is probably being on stage

Album art by LEILANI REYES

web SLIPPINGINTODARKNESSBAND.COM

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FILM FILM

CHRISTIAN SESMA PAYDIRT WRITER/DIRECTOR interview JORGE PEREZCHICA

Christian Sesmas is a local writer/director/producer, and in his free time operates Guacs Pop Up, a food experience based on the family’s restaurant legacy of 30 years in Palm Springs. After writing stories and getting his first short film screened at the Palm Springs Short Fest in 2004, Sesma fell in love with the medium and turned it into a full-time career. In 2020, he released PAYDIRT, a crime heist feature starring Luke Goss and Val Kilmer. Shot throughout the Coachella Valley, the film is available to stream on Amazon and iTunes. Since then, the prolific director has completed two additional films and has more in the works. Coachella Magazine sat down with Sesma at a coffee shop to talk about his love for movies and a bold vision to bring more production to the Coachella Valley. CM: Hi Christian. Tell us more about your background and growing up in the Coachella Valley. CHRISTIAN SESMA: Born and raised here in Palm Springs. My parents were from Mexicali, I’m first generation. We had walk-in restaurant for 30 years. It was sold last year. Graduated from Palm Springs High, went to San Diego state, got my degree in anthropology. I had no idea I was going to be in the movie business at all. I was, writing stories, creative stories. And then in 2004, I made my first short film and it got into the Palm Springs Short Festival. And the rest is history, man. You know, I did a short film and found my love for making movies. I was always a big movie box movie nerd, and here we are. We’ve made 12 feature films now and we have a lot of huge things on the horizon, which is really exciting. My offices are in LA. I’m still based here in Palm Springs. My family lives here, where this is my home.

Top: Poster for PAYDIRT Bottom: Writer/Director/Producer Christian Sesma at Ernest Coffee in Palm Springs where he wrote many of his latest movies. Photo by Evan Doheny

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What can you tell us about your latest film PAYDIRT, without giving away any spoilers. It’s a really fun, cool crime heist, thriller, like Ocean’s 11 or Smokin’ Aces. It’s like a Soderbergh style of Out of Sight movie in a way. We have my buddy, Luke Goss, Val Kilmer, and you know, a bunch of guys coming together to do this kind of caper out in the middle of the desert. So it was a cool way for me to shoot in the city of Coachella. Coachella was home base and Salton Sea and Thermal. It’s like the stuff that never gets any love out there. You know what I mean? It’s like, everybody thinks of desert, they think right here at Palm Springs, and that’s my hometown, but I really wanted to showcase East Valley.

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IT’S WORKING WITH A LEGEND. AND THE BEAUTIFUL THING IS, EVERYBODY ELSE KNOWS YOU’RE WORKING WITH A LEGEND, AND HE WAS AMAZING. — CHRISTIAN SESMA ON DIRECTING VAL KILMER

Christian Sesma and Val Kilmer on the set of PAYDIRT. Photo by Evan Doheny COACHELLA MAGAZINE 59

Luke Goss and his team on the set of PAYDIRT. Photo by Evan Doheny

What was it like working with Val Kilmer on set? Well, I’ve been a massive, massive Val Kilmer fan from Tombstone, Top Gun, The Doors, and Willow. It’s working with a legend. And the beautiful thing is, everybody else knows you’re working with a legend and he was amazing. He was amazing. It was a blast, a lot of fun. I think it was the first time you see him doing anything action oriented since “Heat.”

that for years, for years, trying to say, “Hey, you could do it too. You can do it. I’m in LA all the time. There’s tons of people working in the industry out here, it’s like a dream. You can do it.” So, for us to be able to build something here and create an infrastructure for the youth and the Latino youth that don’t have the opportunities and go to all the great schools that other people do. It’s awesome.

How supportive was the city of Coachella? We couldn’t have done it without mayor Steven. They really, really supported us and we just couldn’t have done it without them. They were instrumental in really helping us pull this off. The idea for me, was to bring back a movie here, to show that we can do another, that we can build production here. We wanted to build that, bring that back here in the Valley, and make it a viable place, not just, you know, the mid-century modern Palm Springs, which is cool — but everybody knows that.

What is the PAYDIRT soundtrack like? Slipping Into Darkness is on it. Local bands (Giselle Woo). I want to do nothing but local music. My composer’s from Los Angeles, but music, all local, a hundred-percent and I’ve done that with all the movies. I’ve always used a lot of local artists. We put the word out like, “Yo, who wants to be on a soundtrack?” It’s awesome.

Let’s talk about the production crew and local talent. Yeah, so probably about 60% of our crew was here. And I brought in my keys from Los Angeles, but for the most part, you know, it was, half the crew was from here. Really cool. And the idea is to also mentor new people coming up that are interested in this. Because I’ve been mentoring for the high schools and stuff like 60

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Were there challenges filming in the city of Coachella? Zero challenges. I mean, we’ve shot Fantasy Springs a lot. They were amazing. The tribe was amazing. Coachella, the city, it was a piece of cake. That’s why we’re bringing the next one out here. We’re going to be bringing more production out here. No doubt. How would you describe yourself as a storyteller? I love action-adventure, you know, my passion, I like that kind of storytelling. My favorite movie is probably

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COACHELLA WAS HOME BASE AND SALTON SEA AND THERMAL. IT’S LIKE THE STUFF THAT NEVER GETS ANY LOVE OUT THERE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT’S LIKE EVERYBODY THINKS OF DESERT, THEY THINK RIGHT HERE IN PALM SPRINGS, AND THAT’S MY HOMETOWN, BUT I REALLY WANTED TO SHOWCASE EAST VALLEY. — CHRISTIAN SESMA

James Cameron’s Aliens. I love action Sci-FI a lot. I’m a huge Star Wars boss, you know? I think one could say I’m an action-adventure storyteller for sure. But I had a great time doing this crime heist movie too. I always go on the mainstream Latino storyteller. I’d love to make a Marvel movie, a comic book movie, a Star Wars movie, or just something of my own, but something along those lines that has global appeal. Some fun action, adventure scope, you know, and some fun, fun characters. You recently opened an office in Los Angeles? I’m involved in a company called Curated By Media and it’s basically a production and management firm focusing on stories and storytellers, people of color and women, and really trying to focus on that and really push that, support that and try to get those stories told. Could you picture a studio here in the Coachella Valley? My dream, my dream would be to make this the way Robert Rodriguez did with Austin, you know? I mean, Robin Rodriguez turned Austin into what it is with Troublemaker Studios out there. That was his hometown. He became as gigantic as he is and you know, really brought production to that area. So, I think for us, we’re only two hours away from LA. I commute every week and everybody loves coming out here. So, we’re really just showing that this is a viable place to truly shoot, and that’s competitive with tax incentives. Between Los Angeles and Palm Springs, what’s a factor you see missing here in the desert? What’s missing here is just the fact that there’s just not an industry here. There’s just not. That would be something that we’d like to change. To build an infrastructure here, to build an industry here, to help spark [the idea], that would be the goal. IG @SESKRI

TOP: Locals came out in full Dia De Los Muertos for Paydirt’s finale parade scene. BOTTOM: Christian Sesma and local musician Giselle Woo on the set of PAYDIRT. Photos by Evan Doheny

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DANCE

G R SE O RI U ES N D

interview+photography JORGE PEREZCHICA

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n November of 2019, I was invited to witness Ground Series, a site-specific dance performance hosted at Buckwheat Space, a 2.5 acre property owned by artists/founders Yvonne Buchanan and Dorene Quinn in Morongo Valley, CA. It was my first such experience, and honestly, I was not sure what to expect — but was pleasantly surprised. Unlike theater, the dancers and action were happening all around the audience in the outdoors. It was experimental, spontaneous, playful and an opportunity to experience the land from various perspectives. Ground Series dance collective include Sarah Ashkin, Brittany Delany, and Shayna Keller. They held a week-long residency at Buckwheat Space preparing for their event, holding workshops and displaying a photo gallery exhibit inside a 20 foot shipping container. Just as the environment stood as a stage for Ground Series, the performance was perfectly timed with the sunset to create an ethereal and unforgettable experience. Afterwards, the audience were invited to enjoy a post-show reception of tacos, drinks and conversation with the dance troupe under the stars. Hi, Sarah Ashkin, Brittany Delany, and Shayna Keller. Thank you for the invite. Tell us how you met and the origin story behind GROUND SERIES? Sarah and Brittany, co-directors of GROUND SERIES dance collective, met at Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) where they forged a shared background in postmodern dance, critical thinking, and dance making as an ethnographic process. As company members of Pedro Alejandro Dance and Dancers for several years, Ashkin and Delany learned from Alejandro’s multifaceted, international choreographic research spanning architecture, improvisational forms, dance history, site specific making, environmentalism and healing arts. Inspired by the DIY Queer performance arts community in the San Francisco Bay Area, together they moved to the East Bay and founded GROUND SERIES as a curatorial platform and dance collective out of the Temescal Arts Center (Temescal, Oakland, CA). Ashkin and Delany’s goal in forming GROUND SERIES was to erode the elitism and alienation often surrounding postmodern dance. Today GROUND SERIES creates work and events in which dance can be shared as a welcoming experience for creative exchange. As curators, we host participatory salons, resource shares, and interdisciplinary maker labs. As site specific choreographers, we prioritize access by disrupting the exclusionary practices of the proscenium. Throughout our creative process, we program open rehearsals, gather community for workshops and feedback, and begin each performance with the sentiment: “Whatever you feel this performance

is about, you are right.” Over the past 8 years, GROUND SERIES has collaborated with upwards of 30 artists, curated, produced, and choreographed over 20 shows, reaching audiences across the US and UK. How did Ground Series at Morongo Valley, CA come together? And what was your creative process like during the week-long residency at Buckwheat Space? Our creative process began prior to arriving on site in Morongo Valley. We initiated our research via email, sharing questions, ideas, and gathering inspiration. Next, we conducted several rehearsals via group video conference call. We focused on key questions: - How does light revolve around us and how do we revolve around light? - How has water shaped the place? -What are the variations of touch in relationship to the environment and the body? Leading up to the event, GROUND SERIES hosted a few movement workshops. Brittany taught a movement workshop at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club in Palm Springs, in conjunction with Wyld Womxn programming, and then she presented a site-specific movement workshop at Artist’s Tea, presented by Joshua Tree National Park’s Council for the Arts in Joshua Tree National Park. The week before the residency, Sarah led a movement workshop at CREATE Center for the Arts, as part of Wyld Womxn’s Sisters in Studio program. For the week-long residency at Buckwheat Space, we structured our days to include time for warm up, ensemble and solo practice, prop design, and experiments with movement scores, materials, spaces, and sound. A key routine was to process the daily discoveries during the high heat of the afternoon in the artist space, built by prior artist-in-residence Rene Gortat, with additions made by prior artist-in-residence Michelle Castillo. After sharing lunch, we catalogued salient motifs, images, sounds and movement scores by creating small watercolor paintings and writing correlating phrases. We taped these notes on the wall so we could visually track our observations. Some of these snippets appeared in our social media posts to document each day of creative practice. Following the archiving activity, we took time to rest and stretch. The afternoon sessions included time for practicing ensemble work, refining movement scores, and shaping the overall structure of the culminating event. One day, after we constructed a prop piece made of transparent plastic balls inside a clear fishing net, we were inspired to do an impromptu photography shoot. Sarah and Shayna jumped into costumes as we quickly chased

LEFT: Sarah Ashkin, Brittany Delany, and Shayna Keller “Ground Series” performance at Buckwheat Space, Morongo, CA. Dorene Quinn and Yvonne Buchanan artists/founders of Buckwheat Space. Audience attending Ground Series at Buckwheat Space. COACHELLA MAGAZINE

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GROUND SERIES OFFERED A FRAMEWORK FOR WITNESSING SITE-SPECIFIC DANCE DURING OUR PERFORMANCE. UNLIKE THE THEATER, IN OUR OFFERING, DANCERS AND DANCE ACTION WERE HAPPENING ALL AROUND THE AUDIENCE.

WE HOPED THEY WOULD EXPERIENCE THE LAND FROM VARYING PERSPECTIVES, AND TO LEARN AND PLAY WITH SOME PRACTICES AND QUESTIONS FROM OUR RESEARCH DURING THE RESIDENCY. — GROUND SERIES

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the afternoon light to set the scene in the wash. Several of our photographs came out beautifully. Our friend and professional photographer Brian Pescador helped prepare and print the photographs, which he installed in the Vilma Exhibition space. It was our first time producing photographs alongside a performance. We were thrilled to share this new element as part of the overall experience. In the middle of the week, we took a break from intensive full days of making. Shayna and Sarah had a blast climbing in the Joshua Tree National Park, and Brittany enjoyed some focused visual art studio time, crafting a secondary object and preparing spaces for showtime. Towards the end of the week, we invited Yvonne and Dorene to provide feedback, which helped us reflect on compositional choices and make further edits. In the final days, we coordinated details and logistics for a culminating event, and a post-show reception of tacos for everyone. On Sunday, we helped out with some chores, and de-installed our materials, to prepare the space for the next artist. Another key research question emerged during the residency: How does the environment come alive through sound? Using a few shovels from Yvonne and Dorene, Shayna discovered resonant, echoing sound when she carefully struck the shovel instrument atop different rocks across the property. We also used the shovels to scry circles in the ground, adding texture and rhythm to the soundscape. To guide each audience group across the site, we used three different bells—one bell from a prior duet with Brittany and Shayna, one bell from our rental home, and one bell from Yvonne and Dorene. Additionally, we developed a humming tune, inspired by a movement study from Sarah. The simple song was performed at the end of the event, to signal an end to the solos, and an invitation to the audience to join in the harmony. As we collectively departed the wash and arrived back at the beginning of the site, we were greeted with a wide open view of the desert sunset on the horizon. For the Ground Series site-specific performance in Morongo Valley, what makes Buckwheat Spaces unique? Yvonne Buchanan and Dorene Quinn are intelligent, curious, multi-talented artists and teachers. They are generous stewards of Buckwheat Space, and we are very grateful to be in connection. The land features a topography with vast horizons, gorgeous vistas, and dynamic environment settings of the Mojave Desert— the mountains, the field, the wash. The shop space and interior spaces also provide opportunities for developing and sharing visual art exhibitions. During the performance, there were parts when you danced collectively and other times you wandered off individually. What was happening there?

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The design was organic to our process, featuring an ensemble section, a teaching/sharing section, and a section for three solo experiments. For the ensemble section, we worked collectively to refine and shape this piece, building upon motifs, soundscapes, and group audience interaction. For the workshop section, we each guided a group of audience members through an experience in different sites along the wash. For the solo experiments, we selected different sites and materials, and adapted movement scores for each other. What do you hope the audience come away with from the Ground Series performance at Buckwheat Space? GROUND SERIES offered a framework for witnessing site-specific dance during our performance. Unlike the theater, in our offering, dancers and dance action were happening all around the audience. In this way, the audience was a part of the dance, in that they would shape site lines, create pathways, and co-create alongside the performers. They are invited into their 360 degree self. At times dancers would be close; other times they would be far. No witness to a site work has the same experience of the dance. As there were no chairs, they were invited to sit, stand, and move in relation to the dance. As an active witness we encouraged them to be a steward of this event. We asked for them to please make sure that they and others around them could see and be cared for. In addition, we hoped they would experience the land from varying perspectives, and to learn and play with some practices and questions from our research during the residency. What’s next for Ground Series? GROUND SERIES is building tour engagements for its work ‘task’. The duet, choreographed and performed by Sarah and Brittany, reflects on the problematics of the white female body moving through the foreground and background. Balancing the absurdity, tenderness, violence, and honesty required to engage with racism, gender, and western concert dance, ‘task’ is a collage of postmodern dance, performance art, satire, and political commentary. Lastly, GROUND SERIES is available for site-specific commissions, and teaching engagements. Is there anything else you would like to add? Thank you to everyone who came out to experiment with land and dance. We are deeply grateful to our hosts Yvonne Buchanan and Dorene Quinn of Buckwheat Space for holding space for the tender radiance of our residency. Big Thank yous to Gary Ashkin, Joe Devera, Alexander Reza, Michelle Castillo, Brian Pescador, Lauren Bright for their support, labor, and care. We are so grateful to the glistening GROUND SERIES spider web community. It’s no small act of magic to gather in the desert to listen and touch and rest and dance. web GROUNDSERIES.ORG

TOP: Ground Series strike a pose at sunset - Morongo Valley, CA. BOTTOM: Post-show reception with Buckwheat Space artists/founders Yvonne Buchanan and Dorene Quinn (center).

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FAS HI O N

THE NEW ROY

YALS

LUNAFORA styled by SABRINA ROSE hair by VICTOR SIMMONS makeup by SELENE COLON photos by

Yellow hat from SUPERBLOOM Yellow handbag from PURE ATLAS Black backpack from KRAVE KULTURE His shirt, shorts, shoes & sunglasss from BENJAMIN PERDEREAU Her green jump suit from BLONDE CLOTHING BOUTIQUE Leather belts, bracelets & bag from V&G COLLECTIVE Black tee shirt & leather pants from BLONDE CLOTHING BOUTIQUE Hand painted jacket from KRAVE KULTURE Gold / Black sunglasses from KRAVE KULTURE

Hats from SUPERBLOOM Her dress from CANDICE HELD Pink top and handbag from PEEPA’S His shirt & shorts from BENJAMIN PERDEREAU Her swimsuit from BENJAMIN PERDEREAU Sunglasses from BENJAMIN PERDEREAU Gold jacket and metalic shorts from KRAVE KULTURE

Hats from SUPERBLOOM Her black shirt from PEEPA’S Silver jewelry from FLOW MODERN Custom leather belts from V&G COLLECTIVE Her black jacket from KRAVE KULTURE Denim shorts from BLONDE CLOTHING BOUTIQUE Hand painted clothes from FATHERAKKI Bicycles from VILLA ROYALE

This Page:Dress and Head Band from PEEPA’S Oposite Page: Dress from CANDICE HELD Gold & Blue jacket from Mr. Turk Blue jacket & pants from BENJAMIN PERDEREAU Books & candle from JUST FABULOUS Animal print pants & coffee mug from KRAVE KULTURE Hand painted clothes from FATHERAKKI

FAS HI O N

MICHAEL COSTELLO

MILLION MASK MISSION interview MARLLEY GONZALEZ Fabric, scissors, and ingenuity. These are some of the key components that Michael Costello employs to fight back against COVID-19 and make a contribution during a global pandemic. Fashion was something that always came naturally to Michael. The designer opened up his first boutique in Palm Springs at the age of 15 and by the time he turned 34 was honored with the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. While many fans recognize him from Lifetime’s “Project Runway” franchise, and red carpet designs created for A-list celebrities like Beyoncé and JLO, he can add humanitarian to his resume. As coronavirus surged across the country, the designer launched “Million Mask Mission” to make face mask coverings for healthcare workers, police officers, and essential workers to help meet a supply shortage. Documenting his experience on social media, Costello invites his 1.3 million audience on Instagram to follow along the journey and watch the process. “This is for people to learn more about, coming together as a community to fight this PANDEMIC…and use our influence to shed light on how we can help our community and elderly who are at risk,” wrote Michael in a post. Since then, Costello has been giving back to the community handing out masks to healthcare workers, firefighters and USPS. Every sale from face 82

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masks sold on his website goes right back into making more masks to be donated. Michael’s resilience in the face of adversity has proven his commitment to fashion and a good cause. Last spring, Coachella Magazine chatted with Michael Costello over a live stream interview on Instagram. Read excerpts from our conversation here. Helping frontline and essential workers. We started a Million Mask Mission during the course of coronavirus and the state of emergency pandemic. When the president issued the stay at home and the mayor, Eric Garcetti issued to stay at home, we started right around that time trying to figure out how we can help to address this national pandemic and what we can do on our end. Given the facility and the machines that we have to start making masks and encouraging more and more people to start making masks. As a fashion designer, I just felt so stupid, just sitting on my couch, watching TV and watching shows and, you know, ordering Postmates. When I knew I had the machines and I had friends in the fashion industry, and I know so many people who can, help with this cause. So I talked to the stylist friend of mine, and one of the girls that worked with me and I said, let’s

photos courtesy of Michael Costello

start making masks, let’s start getting them out there. And we’ll donate to whoever we can to donate. And it turned out to be so huge. I mean, we inspired every single person in the whole entire Los Angeles to break out their sewing machines and come together to start making masks. Transition in the age of covid. It’s a total shift change. At first, we were closed for two weeks. I go into the office now and what once was a place where you walk in and take a tour of gowns and the most expensive fabrics and beads and crystals, and swarovski here and there, that’s all gone, it’s all packed away now on the table. What you see is yards and yards of like neoprene, scuba and elastic straps, and bundles of binding in order to make masks... So it’s totally been a complete shift change, but you know what, I always tell people, if we can’t do what we love, then we might as well do what we can. Designing fun prints. You’re going to see them in fun prints, fun colors, a really cool theme inspired ones. Coachella is going to come again and they’ll do something with Coachella mask. And you’re going to see, Neon Carnival come up with Neon Carnival kind of mask. You’re going to see more musicians, singers, actresses, collaborating with other brands on masks. I wanted to do something fun with it too. We didn’t want to just make a plain black one and a plain white one. We have a huge celebrity clientele, people who shop with us and they want prints. They want stripes. They want polka dots. They want a red

and black. They want to wear them reversible. And like I said, as much as we don’t want to accept this being the new normal, it kind of is right now. Pandemic Takeaways. The one thing that I constantly tell everybody is, if you take away something from this pandemic, it should be to remember to be kind to people, just be nice to people and treat people how you want to be treated. That’s the number one thing to remember. Sometimes things like this happen and it’s so horrible and so sad that people are sick. People are dying. We can’t go and hug our parents. I haven’t seen my mom and dad for over a month. I miss them. I want to hug them. I want to spend time with them. I want to cook for my family. I want to play with my kids. But because of this pandemic, we’re actually remembering what it’s like to spend quality time with one another, where our bodies, our minds, our souls, our spirits are mentally challenged because we only focus on going to work, making our money, paying our bills. We need to reflect upon it and remember what it is exactly why we bust our asses off every single day and work this hard for it, so that we can enjoy the benefits of life and spending time with family anyway that you please. So, the one thing I hope that everyone can take away from this horrible tragedy that we have to experience was to be kind to one another and treat others with respect, and especially treat people how you want to be treated. web MICHAELCOSTELLO.US COACHELLA MAGAZINE

CU LT URE

OUR PLACE IN TIME Coachella Valley’s Opportunity To Rise Up text CHRISTY JEZIORSKI color) seemed to set us up for mediocrity. My biggest fear at the time was getting stuck here, and so I spent the next 18 years living, studying, and working in three states and two other countries before I returned to the desert for family reasons. At first I was impressed by some of the developments - there was a local music and art scene, new and updated structures, and a revamped notoriety as an international vacation destination. Tastemakers from LA made attempts to add their touch to the area, giving the valley a cooler, more millennial vibe. However, to say that the Coachella Valley as a whole experienced progress and growth is an overstatement. It has housed progress for the privileged few, disparities have remained, and 2020 revealed the extent of the work that still needs to be done. I’ve been reminded times over of why I left in the first place.

Christy Jeziorski is a consultant, activist, and the founder of Inity, an agency for activist artists. She strives to develop content and creative opportunities at the intersection of the arts and social justice. www.Inity.Co / @initycreatives

2020 has been a year of loss and pain for most of us. From the pandemic and its domino effect that revealed the weaknesses of our institutions including healthcare and education, the face of systemic and overt racism that reared its ugly head, to an upcoming crucial election that has us on edge. It feels like we can’t get a break. It’s as if we’re being tested, though the times are rightfully forcing us to question our humanity and our purpose. Here, I invited notable members of the desert community to provide their insight on the times we’re facing. First, I’d like to share my own thoughts with you. I was born and raised in Palm Springs, and once I turned 18, I left. I couldn’t wait to get out of here. Something in me knew that there was more to life, and the valley always seemed to fall far behind in progress. The slow pace felt like death, and the lack of opportunities and outlets for young people (especially young people of

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The Coachella Valley is relatively small. Because of that, I believe our lives are so intertwined, and that a concerted effort to make a real and positive difference can be achieved. We have the potential to be a model for our county, state, and nation - from flattening the curve on COVID-19, to addressing the systemic racism that certainly exists here. Now the economy is in shambles, and our inability to effectively cooperate with and help one another continues to amplify its detriment. Sadly, we’re dealing with the refusal and tantrums of many to wear a mask in consideration of the health of other humans. We’re witnessing the denial of leaders to take a step back, sit with, and learn from accusations that racism is being reinforced within local institutions. We watch as people pass us by rocking symbols and facial expressions to remind us that we’re wrongfully in their part of town, or to say “go back” to where we came from. We are so divided, and this is why we’re going to be behind, yet again, when other communities begin to recover. Writer and activist James Baldwin once said, “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” I’d say I’m doing the same. Just as a parent would want the best for her child, even Protestors rally in downtown Palm Springs. Photos by Jevpic and Lunafora.

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if it takes tough love, I want the best for my hometown. Why has it become so difficult to place humanity at the forefront? The failure to do so has brought us to this place in time. I say all of this because if we want the state of our nation to get better, we must confront the monstrosities that people are capable of right here in the desert. We must challenge those who are in power that get away with abusing it. We must have the difficult conversations with difficult people. We must vote. My hope is to unearth the realization that, although we’re small, we’re a capable community - one with the power of possibility. Ultimately, I want you to know that you’re important and you have power. Don’t write it off like what you say or do doesn’t matter. 2020 isn’t over yet - there’s still time. An awakening has yet to happen because, like Groundhog’s Day, the same things keep happening over and over again. It’s going to take a revolution of the mind, solidarity, and action. It’s in unity where we’ll rise. - Christy Jeziorski Deiter Crawford Community health professional + vp, desert highland Gateway Estates Community Cction Association

How has the pandemic shed light on the inequities that exist among communities of color in the Coachella Valley? The desert highland gateway estates neighborhood is a tight-knit working class community where most of the city’s black population has lived since the early 1960s. Like most black communities in america, this neighborhood has dealt with systemic racism as well. Recent social unrest in the country, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, have exposed the disparities and inequities that existed for years. Nalani Hernandez-Melo Artist, creative entrepreneur + curandera

How can spirituality be examined to explain the times we’re experiencing? The current state of our country and global community requires honest self-reflection which in turn sparks radical inner transformation of one’s generational bias and ingrained prejudices. We must be able to turn the mirror towards ourselves and ask, “Am I authentically doing my part to help create the change needed in our communities?” Let us reclaim our power, liberty and justice. Remember who your ancestors are and do not let their efforts be in vain. This is our initiation – this is our revolution.

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Through faith, the desert highland gateway estates community action association will continue advocating for this community and serve as a base for communication within the community and the city of Palm Springs during this time of much-needed change.

can only help those most vulnerable and the sick by being healthy first.

DJ Day DJ, musician & producer

In addition, both riverside county and the city of Palm Springs declared racism a public health crisis. Filipinos, as members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, have faced prejudice and discrimination because of the racist associations of COVID-19 as a “China virus.” Economic hardship is also widespread. Check in with your less fortunate family members and friends who may need support with food and resources. Remind your families and friends they may be entitled to support via government programs like medicare, Medi-Cal, Calfresh, Calworks and other nonprofit organizations like find food bank, senior advocates of the desert, inland caregiver resource center, and the Mizell center. Ultimately, speak to one another and share the love.

What role have you taken in this fight for social change? Not enough of one, if I’m being honest. Besides social media and personal conversations with people, there really hasn’t been much protest and a political presence here in the valley. I’m hoping this article will encourage people who demand justice and equal human rights for all to come together and let our voices be heard.

Karina Quintanilla Educator & candidate, Palm Desert City council, district 1

Edwin Ramoran Human rights commissioner, city of Palm Springs

What are some of your biggest concerns for the community relating to the pandemic and how do you think they can be effectively addressed? The overall area of concern, clearly, is public health. Filipinos, like our Bipoc (black, indigenous, people of color) counterparts have a disproportionately high mortality rate, with 40% of those who contracted the coronavirus in southern California dying. We need everyone to wear masks and to adhere to social distancing. Mental health is a priority as well. With isolation and domestic abuse on the rise as more people stay at home, we need to focus on self-help. We

In these times of uncertainty, what is it that we should know about the people in the desert communities? The Coachella Valley is a tapestry of interwoven and interdependent communities and the pandemic has made the vulnerabilities in our working class families painfully clear. Thousands of people struggled to feed their families and pay rent for years before the pandemic, and some of our neighbors are only now feeling the physiological effects of poverty. COVID-19 doesn’t care about zip codes, but our zip codes are helping to determine who has a better chance of survival from a preventable disease, yet we traverse these imaginary boundaries to work and shop. Essential workers are not sacrificial workers; it is up to every single one of us to band together, as parts of the tapestry, wearing our masks to fight the pandemic together. We survive extreme heat waves by checking in on our neighbors and we will survive this pandemic by wearing masks and practicing distancing; this is how we support first responders, nurses, and teachers.

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COACHELLA VALLEY

WOMEN’S MARCH interview+ photos MARLLEY GONZALEZ & JORGE PEREZCHICA

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ZELAYA and ESTHER SANCHEZ (daughter/mother) attend CV Women’s March at Veterans Park, Coachella, CA COACHELLA MAGAZINE

e have a lot of really strong, powerful women and gender nonbinary women in the Coachella Valley. The Women’s March is here to create space for us to lead a community conversation. No one is excluded. Everyone is welcome to help us plan, to come, volunteer, participate and march with us. It is a space where we hope that others get inspired to continue leading because of who they are not in spite of who they are. — Karen Borja, director of Community Affairs for Planned Parenthood Action Fund of the Pacific Southwest

The Women’s March gives an opportunity to educate, give them a platform to express themselves and share with other people what those needs and fears are. How we can navigate the system. — Luz E Moreno, CV Women’s March coordinator My experience at Woman’s March was an uplifting and inspiring one. Watching familiar faces from the community all coming together for this always fills me with so much hope. That’s what it feels like, like inhaling hope and exhaling years of conditioning, years of being told that we should be one way, when we could in fact be different in many ways, and realizing that it is perfectly acceptable. I felt powerful, amongst that loving energy. It was beautiful to see so many different kinds of woman and young girls, and even allies! I’m grateful to everyone that worked hard to make it happen, and I will continue to advocate for woman and anyone who needs a fighter for peace and justice on their corner. — Giselle Woo, Coachella Valley based musician As descendants of the Muskogee Creek and Seminole tribes, we are well aware of the heinous and unspeakable crimes committed against Indigenous women. The symbolism of the red hand over our mouths and the hashtag, #MMIW stems from the countless indigenous women and girls between Canada and Latin America who have gone murdered and missing through reasons stemming from domestic violence, sex trafficking, cartels and beyond. Women throughout the world have their battles to fight and their cries to be heard. This is ours. — Esther Sanchez, Freelance writer/photographer CV Weekly

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SPEAKERS AND ORGANIZERS OF 2020 CV WOMEN’S MARCH. ANDRA MANJARREZ, LUCY MORENO, MICHELLE CASTILLO, RUBI BECERRIL, CHRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ, RENAISSANCE MARIE, KAREN BORJA, GABRIELA ARMENTA, ERICK LEMUS NADURILLE, CLAUDIA ARMENTA

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LEFT TO RIGHT: ZELAYA SANCHEZ, JANINE RIVERA, GISELLE WOO, ESTHER SANCHEZ

RENAISSANCE MARIE GUEST SPEAKER

DANZA AZTECA CITLALTONAC COACHELLA MAGAZINE

FOOD+ D R I NK

TOMMY BAHAMA RESTAURANT BAR & STORE — PALM DESERT, CA Tommy Bahama Executive Chef, Hector Ramirez was born in a small town in Mexico. His family moved to California when he was 12 and spent a good amount of his youth in Los Angeles. Working his way up in the restaurant industry, Hector has been cooking up delicious food for 25 years. Coachella Magazine sat down with Chef Hector over island-inspired cuisine and conversation. Have you always known you wanted to be a chef? Not really. I mean, I grew up in a different industry, just kind of, you know looking for jobs here and there, but when I got my first restaurant job — Boom! I knew that was it for me. It was back in late 80’s in Santa Monica. I love the way the ingredients come together, and for me, it was the the smell the flavors. The way everything just kind of comes together. When you grab all these ingredients and it tastes great. What do we have in front of us, right here? These are some of our famous desserts. Our Pina Colada Cake, with the toasted coconut white chocolate mousse.

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interview by

MARLLEY GONZALEZ & TREEM HEFF portrait photo by ED ZABEL

TOMMY BAHAMA STORE VICTOR SIMMONS / makeup SELENE COLÓN

wardrobe provided by hair

Pineapple Crème Brule. This one’s been on our menu since we opened a little over 20 years ago and it’s still our guest favorite. Then we have our Malted Pie with the Oreo cookie crust, dark chocolate mousse. What is your favorite dish? I love our salmon. The way we prepare it, just the care that we take into it from getting the fish, cutting it, marinating it for a certain amount of time, and the way we sear it, pair it with different ingredients, different flavors. Salmon, definitely — it’s one of my favorites. It’s velvety and melts in your mouth. What can guests expect at Tommy Bahama? Well, it’s our service, our food, but definitely the environment. You know, we’re here in the middle of Palm Desert and when you step into the restaurant, it’s like tropical, it’s relaxing, like you’re on vacation. You order your Mai Tai, and then you order your coconut shrimp and it’s almost like you’re by the beach. So come in and experience the island life at Tommy Bahama.

pictured left to right:

Scallop Sliders, Coconut Crusted Crab Cake, Salmon Bowl, Tuna Tacos and Shrimp Avalon

photos by

MARLEY GONZALEZ

Tommy Bahama Restaurant, Bar & Store provides a fun and lively environment to refuel and recharge from shopping. Locally sourced seafood and produce are used for a variety of appetizers, salads, bowls and entrees along with handcrafted cocktails featuring premium spirits and fresh squeezed juices. tommybahama.com

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FOOD+ D R I NK

CHÚLA EATERY

interview

JORGE PEREZCHICA

portrait by LILY OLIVIA MINDELL

LA QUINTA, CA

Chúla Eatery is locally sourced, made from scratch, delicious food, organic espresso, delightful pastries, a mimosa in the sunshine, farm to table and Oh So Bueno! It’s no wonder Katherine Gonzalez, chef/owner of Chúla Eatery is voted as one of the top ten restaurants in the Coachella Valley — good food brings everyone together. Katherine’s love for heritage-inspired dishes began at a young age while learning to cook with her mama. Over time, she created her own recipes, sharing her handmade salsas and tamales at the local farmers market. From that, Chúla began.

At our house there was always a pot of beans cooking, fresh made flour tortillas, salsa and sopas fideo. It was warm and delicious comfort food at every celebration, mom would always make chips and salsas and tamales and my friends would sit and eat it all. They always said ‘you guys should sell this!’ I remember asking my mom to show me how to make tamales one holiday, then the chips, then the salsas. Over time, I began to change up the ingredients and create different flavor profiles. Then my mom started taking jars of salsa with her after visiting me!

Growing up and earliest food memories. I was raised in Southern Arizona, a city called Tucson. I am one of 3 children. My mother’s family migrated from Chihuahua, Mexico and my father’s family from Spain, both of my parents are from large families! My dad had 11 siblings and my mom had 13. With so many children in a house the cooking had to be creative, inexpensive and feed so many everyday. There was always the best hot food at both of my nanas’ homes; fresh tortillas de mano, fresh charred chiles, sopas, caldos, carnitas, pappas, salsitas and my mom starting cooking the same way for us once she became a mom at 18.

Important lessons and influence from mom. How good food brings everyone together...it’s love, it’s the glue. My mom would always invite everyone for the holidays and birthdays and she loves gathering and cooking for the family, and I see the love and feel that when I make her red chile sauce from scratch at Chula, that’s something I will never change. We have the best customers. I see the same people 2, 3, 4 times a week at Chula. They always say they can taste the love in our food, and that starts with my mom‘s influence, my creativity, shared through our staff and received by our guests.

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photos by

How Chúla began. Chúla began as an inspiration from farmers markets. For 15 summers I lived in Truckee and sold my chips, salsas and tamales at three farmers markets a week in the Tahoe area. I loved walking through all the stalls at the farmers markets and seeing all the fresh grown produce, fruit, eggs, baked bread, local yogurt etc. that was being produced in the area and sold to customers in the freshest way. I kept saying to myself how can I take a little piece of this and bring it back to the La Quinta area where I lived in the winter. I knew that people would want a restaurant that offered fresh, organic, real food that was also culturally creative and handmade. We were sold out of chips, salsas and tamales every farmers market three times a week. So, I thought ‘we are on to something!’ Popular items on the menu. Chula is known for so much more than chips, salsas and tamales today. Our customers top 5 favorite dishes are:

AMBER LINN PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy of CHÚLA EATERY

• The Huevos Rancheros Cactus corn tortillas, black beans, turkey chorizo, salsa verde, avocado, queso fresco, scallion, poached eggs • Pulled Pork Red Chile Chilaquiles Sauteed sweet onion, fried corn chips, red chile sauce, pulled pork, avocado, poached egg, onion jam, queso fresco. • Chicken Enchiladas Verde Cactus corn tortillas, all white meat chicken, tomatillo verde sauce, double cheeses, chile oil • The Vegan Bowl Hummus, cucumber, toasted quinoa, black beans, roasted seasonal vegetables, sweet potato, avocado • The Chula Breakfast Burrito Sweet potato hash, turkey chorizo, cage free eggs, black beans, spinach

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AMBER LINN PHOTOGRAPHY BRIDGET MILLER

food photography by

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interior photo by

RUNNING A RESTAURANT IN THE AGE OF COVID HAS BEEN A TEST OF INSTINCT AND CREATIVITY, TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS AND SEEING WHAT WORKS IS KEY. AND IF YOU LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS THEY WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT. — KATHERINE GONZALEZ, CHEF/OWNER

Favorite dish to cook. I like making all the dishes, but when I bake the glutenfree bread pudding and it’s just coming out of the oven, the kitchen smells amazing! So delicious...warm cinnamon, maple, blueberries and our BOMB Tres Leches. There is no substitute. It’s deep dish, we add berries and soak it with tres leches. OH SO BUENO! Inspiration for Chúla decor. It’s Funny, the interior of the restaurant initially...it was pretty gross when we took it over, so depressing! It had yellow floral wall paper that was peeling, the floor had 8 different colors of paint. There was a black buffet railing in the front and I thought “oh geez,” I can’t put Chúla in here...but then I realized, we could do whatever we wanted to the space. We needed to strip it all off, the paint, the wall paper, remove the railing. So we did. I had all the walls painted white so it could be clean and smart. I put in a bright blue bench seat to create fun and life. We hung beautiful lighted baskets and had tables made from repurposed wood. The floors were stripped of all paint down to the bare concrete then buffed with a natural soy wax. I had natural cotton drapes hung from the high ceilings for a theatrical look and to soften up all the hard edges in the dining room. In the end, eating inside Chúla felt like being in a modern museum. I love it. And now, our outdoor patio is coming to life. Overcoming challenges in the age of COVID. In 2020 when the pandemic hit in March, we never closed our doors. The minute the health department told us no more seating we brought out all the to go boxes and kept on taking to-go orders. We went to 7 days a week for about a month and it was a killer. People wanted good takeout, they would be calling even after we closed and asking for dinner items. Lots of places closed and then re-opened with a to-go menu and I felt that if we did that to our customers we would lose the momentum that we had built. Our to-go business was

getting stronger. We added online ordering, Doordash and UberEats and added more meals to the menu that were easy for takeout. People were isolating in family pods and would ask for larger servings. So, we started making catering portions, large disposable trays of enchiladas, mac & cheese, cobb salads, taco trays, etc. And it’s been good. I wasn’t giving up...I could not let the pandemic take from me and my family what I had worked so hard for the last 4 years. Running a restaurant in the age of COVID has been a test of instinct and creativity, trying different things and seeing what works is key. And if you listen to your customers they will tell you what they want...it’s just up to you to wrap it all up with a pretty bow and give it to them. Five words to describe yourself and your work ethic. People that know me will tell you I’m a pretty no nonsense business owner...I’m dedicated, serious, focused, wishful, driven, and I intend to keep growing the Chúla brand while supporting staff and my family. Collaboration with Cafe La Jefa in Palm Springs. We have been so fortunate this last year! Having been called upon by the creators and owners of La Jefe Cafe has been so exciting! We look forward to the collaboration and the Chula Brand awareness in the west part of the Coachella Valley...Super excited! La Jefa Cafe and Chúla Artisan Eatery share the common thread of providing a superior product: Quality, Local, Fresh, Delicious, Real food. Changing with the times. The most exciting part of what we get to do in the Food Industry is to keep reinventing ourselves, a menu change, a new ingredient, a new local ingredient, a local farm, a local producer....this valley has so much to offer and we are right in the middle of it! 47150 Washington St. Ste B La Quinta, CA 92253 web: CHULAEATERY.COM

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FOOD+DRINK

THE BEST COOKIE PS Meet Yesenia and Bryan Brodsky, the married couple started THE BEST COOKIE PS in January, 2020. They work great as a team — Yesenia is an accountant and Bryan is an entrepreneur who loves baking cookies. The couple have always pushed each other to pursue their dreams, and this has been an opportunity to work together on a shared vision. How it started. We started THE BEST COOKIE PS after an adventure to Yosemite National Park. In the general store’s checkout line, we bought a cookie that had more walnuts in it than we’d ever seen. It tasted so good, we couldn’t wait to come home and bake our own version of it. Turns out, the ones we made tasted way better than the one at Yosemite. We started to bake them for friends, family, and then the rest of the world — Boom. THE BEST COOKIE PS was born. The menu. Each box comes with 20 of our fresh baked 1 oz. cookies. We offer 3 different cookies: 1. THE ORIGINAL KILLER has tons of walnuts, and a few chocolate chips. It’s the cookie that started it all. If you’re deathly allergic to walnuts, this cookie will literally kill you. 2. THE SUGAR MONSTER 3. THE CHOCOLATE CHIP. The Mission. We just make plain and simple delicious cookies that your grandma would be pumped about. No preservatives.

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interview+photo JORGE PEREZCHICA

Baked to order. We use organic eggs and real butter. There is something magical about when someone bites into one of THE ORIGINAL KILLER for the first time. Restaurant experience. I was raised in my family’s bagel store, Brodsky’s Bagels. It was the first bagel store in the Coachella Valley (originally called The Royal Bagel). I grew up helping run the cash register, and learning how the business worked. I have also been in the Palm Springs restaurant industry as a server and manager for 15 years. Now, I do consulting. Lots of food industry experience. The love. Cookies are like little pieces of edible love. They make you feel at home. They’re a comfort food. Cookies are there for you in the best of times and the worst of times. I love that cookies actually seem to have the ability to make people happy. Sending cookies to someone as a gift is like sending them a box of actual love. It’s the best. Seeing how pumped people get when they receive a big cookie delivery is one of the coolest things in the world.

Web: THEBESTCOOKIEPS.COM

CV HARVEST BOX

MARK TARDOS CV HARVEST BOX

photo by courtesy of

What we do. Mark Tardos, cofounder: CV Harvest Box is a locallyintegrated delivery service that gives our Coachella Valley residents the opportunity to experience — “experience” is a key word here, the diversity of our valley’s agriculture industry and introduce them to a variety of other locally-made products through our collaboration with local entrepreneurs who are very passionate about their products. Also, every person who packs our boxes and delivers them to our customers’ front doors lives in the Coachella Valley.

beverages. Tony and I are proud of the business that we have built and look forward to continued growth.

How it started The idea for CV Harvest Box was really born out of the need to pivot from normal business operations. The agriculture and hospitality industries are two of the valley’s biggest economic drivers, so when Tony Marchese, owner of Trio restaurant, and I were lamenting over our respective business losses, Tony mentioned that he had a friend out of state who owns a produce delivery company. Tony told me that I should create a produce delivery service, I told him that we should create it together, and 2 weeks later our first CV Harvest Boxes were delivered.

Teamwork makes the dream work. We have some really great local farmers that we’ve partnered with from the very beginning. Max, from Armenta Fresh Farms, really believed in this idea and supplied us with some great products, and still does, even when the orders were small. Mario, from Coachella Urban Valley Farms, has supplied us with his incredible microgreens grown in Bermuda Dunes. Celeste, from Junior Enterprises, not only supplies us with some of our produce, but also introduced us to other farmers who have produce available in the Coachella Valley. Nidal, from Verdi Farms, supplies us with produce and other products, and introduced us to another farmer as well. The agriculture industry has really supported this idea and, personally, I couldn’t be more grateful.

Our first few deliveries were exclusively produce boxes, but our current offerings also include local baked goods, hand-made pasta, pantry items, fresh cuts of meat, and

What’s in the box? An Original CV Harvest Box includes about 10 produce items. Some of the items that commonly reoccur in the boxes are Aziz Farms dates and herbs from North Shore Living Herbs, the other items are selected based on quality, freshness, and proximity to the Coachella Valley. A Chile Box, which is our smaller produce box, includes about 6 produce items.

Web: CVHARVESTBOX.COM

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Coachella Magazine #7

Articles inside

CV HARVEST BOX

TOMMY BAHAMA

BEST COOKIE PS

CHULA EATERY

CV WOMEN’S MARCH

OUR PLACE IN TIME

MICHAEL COSTELLO

GROUND SERIES

CHRISTIAN SESMA

STREET ARTIVISM

UNCERTAIN TIMES

SLIPPING INTO DARKNESS

DAYS OF LOS MUERTOS

DESERT X

MAIN STREET BENCH PROJECT

JEVPIC

CHELLAGUY

SAVE ART SPACE

CHELLAGIRL

GUSTAVO RIMADA

EDITOR’S LETTER

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