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On the site of the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve, the legacy left behind by Elizabeth “Elyze” Clifford is an Interpretive Center sharing her name. The Elyze Clifford Interpretive Center is the first public building in the State of California to use straw bales during its construction. Standard frames were constructed using wooden posts and beams; later, these were filled with stacked straw bales. As the bales were stacked, they were threaded on rebar (steel rods) to keep them properly aligned and secured. Buildings that are composed of straw bales are durable, innovative, inexpensive, and energy-efficient in providing dead air insulation; this insulation saves costs in heating and cooling systems along with reducing the use of wood. This type of structure uses fewer resources, creating a healthy and healing environment. Once the rods and bales were in place, the roof was installed and the rods were then bolted through wooden plates and tightened down; this compressed the walls and minimized settling. The walls were then covered in stucco and finished with plaster. Featured within the center is a rammed earth wall made from soils from the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve. “Rammed earth” is an ancient building technique, usually associated with arid areas, where the walls are built by compacting soil and cement mixture into forms. The forms are then removed, leaving behind solid earth walls. Rammed earth walls are used to regulate temperature; when connected to soil-based ground, it cools the building without the use of electric air conditioning. The environment outside of the Interpretive Center is especially unique as most of the water flow consists of street runoff from the surrounding urban areas. As water enters the Preserve, it often carries street litter and impurities; the water is then filtered by the vegetation growing alongside the stream channels. The Preserve allows water to enter the soil and soak into the ground in a way that pavement cannot. This is known as the hydrologic cycle; water is used and recycled utilizing nature for transportation and filtration in order to create clean water. Many of the desert’s natural riparian habitats are dependent on stormwater runoff or receive their water from distant mountains. Riparian habitats are defined as a stream, channel, or an area of low elevation where water flows, either continuously or intermittently, and provides support to vegetation. Plants that grow within these environments are usually different from those growing nearby whose roots do not reach the water, creating even more environmental uniqueness. When visiting and walking the grounds, be mindful of the habitat and its natural processes with the full intent of keeping it all preserved. During your hike, keep the following in mind: stay on the trail at all times and be aware of your surroundings -- don’t crush the brush! Recently, the Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH) has installed educational sculptures along the trails of the Preserve. Be sure to check out Little Giant by Ann Weber; Then | Now | A Dream by Artists in Residence Nathaniel Ancheta and David Edward Martin which includes life-size sculptures of a pronghorn antelope, made of rebar and found/discarded materials; and the paleolithic antelope herd, created by Devin Thor, which make extinct creatures live again. Thor’s stonework is “a homage to our prehistoric ancestors, but also an exploration of the global influence of humans on our environment…” adding that “modern humans have modified the planet and now must take on a stewardship role, otherwise we might face extinction ourselves.” Photos courtesy of MOAH Collections and the Antelope Valley Press

The City of Lancaster’s Prime Desert Woodland Preserve Interpretive Center is the result of many hardworking people from all walks of life, however, the Center is dedicated to the memory of one Lancaster resident: Elizabeth “Elyze” Clifford, the activist that rallied a coalition to preserve the special and unique desert woodland area that you can visit today. A noted and tireless environmentalist, Elyze Clifford had an inquisitive mind and an indomitable spirit. She was born in February 1926, in Tucson, Arizona. Elyze arrived in the Antelope Valley in 1951, where she resided in the valley for the rest of her life, with the exception of a period of five years when she lived in Laguna and obtained a certificate in Environmental Reporting and Analysis from Laguna Community College. Clifford, who always loved nature, believed that the well-being of the environment is also important to the well-being of human beings; therefore, a healthy environment creates healthy humans. She felt that the desert and its resources were here to be carefully used, and not abused. But she saw things were changing – and not always for the best. Dumping grounds, motorcycle trails, and expanding housing tracts appeared in what were once pristine desert woodlands. Clifford’s life became dedicated to preserving the environment and integrity of the desert, and to educating others about its beauty. She established the Southwest Desert Householders Alliance in 1978, which later became the Southwest Desert Householders Research and History Alliance. She worked tirelessly and led this group in the effort to preserve and protect the exceptionally rich desert Joshua and juniper woodlands in Lancaster. As chairperson, she coordinated an appeal of a proposal to build homes in the Westside area, as she believed it would affect the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve site. Riding in her old Rambler car, Clifford would make excursions to visit different sites to conduct surveys and count trees – information she needed for her different reports. She was always researching the facts and laws, collecting petitions, writing to local newspapers, and talking with city officials. Clifford had vast knowledge and research talents in areas of ecology, botany, geology, hydrology, and environmental laws. Her knowledge and love for the natural environment of the Antelope Valley, combined with her organizing skills and persistence, helped rally community members and city leaders around the concept of a Prime Desert Woodland Preserve. Many of Clifford’s friends did not know that she had a congenital heart condition. One of her last wishes was to get the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve established for the enjoyment and education of present and future generations. She was an extremely busy environmental activist even in her last days, writing letters and conducting tours through the woodlands only five days before she died. Clifford passed away on April 1, 1990, at the age of sixty-four while in the midst of her preservation work. She is buried in the Lancaster Cemetery. Clifford was a special lady who is greatly missed by many who loved the desert. The Prime Desert Woodland Preserve is one of the legacies of Elyze Clifford’s devotion to the Antelope Valley and all of its natural splendors. For more information on the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve and the Elyze Clifford Interpretive Center, stay tuned! Photos courtesy of MOAH Collections

George Black, a third-generation blacksmith in 1915, originally took over Harry Davis’ busy pioneer blacksmith wood building located on Sierra Highway between Lancaster Boulevard and Milling Street. Here, any piece of iron that had to be handled, bent, or shaped on an anvil went through his hands. As in all pioneer towns, a blacksmith shop was a much-needed institution; horses had to be shod, tools made, and equipment repaired. He later opened a new shop known as Carter’s Barn on Beech Avenue and Eleventh Street (now Milling Street), where the barn had also been well-known for presenting local rambunctious fighting bouts and other sporting activities. In 1947, George Pulos, son of a Los Angeles dry cleaner, obtained a $25,000 loan and opened George’s Cleaners on Lancaster Boulevard. George originally moved to the Antelope Valley in 1936 to work on the ranch owned by his wife's family. However, in 1945, he took a job as a general manager at what was then the only local dry cleaners. In 1954, the business relocated to the southwest corner of Beech Avenue and Milling Street, taking over the old Carter Barn. This is where the business has been operating since as a full-service cleaner. Family owned and operated to this day by Chris and Monica Gado, the business now offers three locations within the Antelope Valley. Besides carrying on the family legacy, the Grados are prominently known in the community. Monica is on the Lancaster West Rotary and former chairwoman of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce. The couple are also members of the Palmdale and Quartz Hill Chamber, work for Mental Health America, and actively give back to local schools by providing free services. In October 2018, George’s Cleaners was awarded the 21st Senate District Small Business of the Month by Senator Scott Wilk who remembers going to George’s Cleaners as a boy where they always recognized him by name. Sources include: MOAH Collections George's Cleaners, www.georgescleanersandlaundry.com/ Gurba, Norma H. Lancaster. Arcadia. 2005. Gurba, Norma H., et al. Lancaster, California Through Time. Arcadia, 2017. Kukaua, Kelsey. “Small Business George’s Cleaners Honored.” Antelope Valley Press, 2018.

The Antelope Theatre was constructed by Antelope Valley College dean and professor of psychology, Dave Roach, in 1948. Originally operating with only one screen, the opening movie starred Cary Grant in “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.” At some point, the balcony section was converted to a second screen. During its course, several movies that had been locally filmed were presented here. Adjoining the movie theater was the popular bowling alley complete with a fountain and an upstairs pool hall. The Antelope Theatre had ceased operating as a movie theater by the mid-1980s. In 1990, it was torn down and the site is now occupied by the 780-seat Lancaster Performing Arts Center (LPAC), which opened in 1991. In 1950, the Lancaster Drive-In was opened, designed by J. Arthur Drielsma, as a single screen state-of-the-art theater with a 650-car capacity. The first owners were James Anderson and F. Scott. However, later competition with Jet Drive-In caused the single screen to become a triplex. By the 1980s, the lure of drive-ins faded and it eventually closed. Now the site, located on Sierra Highway and Avenue H, is home to the City Maintenance Yard and a Caterpillar dealership. As an Antelope Valley resident, most of us are familiar with Brunswick Sands Bowl, or “the original Bowl,” which was constructed in 1958. With its “Jetsonian-Atomic Age” exterior, it was a wonderful example of Southern California’s “Googie” architectural style; a type of futurist architecture influenced by car culture, jets, the Space Age, and the like. This style was popular among many motels, restaurants, gas stations, etc. after World War II. Inside, the building had a cocktail lounge, a sunken dining room, a coffee shop, a banquet room, and a billiards room featuring a plaster mural of Egyptian figures by artist Milton Tuttle. Still in operation (temporarily closed due to COVID-19) under the name “Bowlero,” the building is on the Los Angeles County Conservancy List of Historic Places, although it’s had some major architectural updates. Sources include: MOAH Collections Southern California Edison Photographs and Negatives, Huntington Digital Library Gurba, Norma H., et al. Lancaster, California Through Time. Arcadia, 2017.

On Saturday, February 20, environmental artist Jane Ingram Allen will begin a 30-day residency at MOAH:CEDAR’s Andrew Frieder Creative Space. As the first participant of the MOAH:CEDAR Artist in Residence (AiR) program, Allen will produce original works in the Museum’s Creative Space, give talks regarding her artistic process, mentor visiting local artists, and lead a community papermaking workshop. Museum visitors are invited to interact with the artist during MOAH:CEDAR’s regular hours; Thursday through Sunday, 2 to 8 p.m. Originally from Alabama, Allen lived and worked as an artist and Fulbright Scholar in Taiwan from 2004 to 2012, before settling in Santa Rosa, California. She is a former university art professor, experienced curator, and arts writer, as well as professional artist. Past projects by Allen include: For the Birds, a multi-part environmental art installation consisting of hand-woven nests; California Delta Rivers, a site-specific wall installation crafted from recycled blue jeans and local plant waste materials, which addressed California’s water issues; and Making My Bed, a mixed-media environmental sculpture depicting a canopy of magnolia trees over a quilt of handmade paper. During the artist’s residency, a similar structure will be created in Lancaster, with help from community members. “My work is focused on raising environmental awareness by creating interactive and collaborative art projects using natural and recycled materials, and the natural cycle of change over time,” Allen said. Allen’s residency is sponsored in part by Lancaster’s Museum and Public Art Foundation and the Women’s Eco Artist Dialog (WEAD), which have partnered with MOAH to produce Smaller Footprints, an exhibition currently on display at MOAH:CEDAR. Allen will be at the gallery through March 20, 2016. Join Artist-in-Residence Jane Ingram Allen at MOAH:CEDAR for a series of Community Engagement Workshops where participants will work on an "Eco-Quilt" with the artist, to be installed in our community. Join us at MOAH:CEDAR on: Saturday, February 13, 6 PM - 8 PM for "An Introduction to Jane Ingram Allen, Artist-in-Residence" Saturday, February 20, 11 AM - 1 PM and again at 3 - 5 PM for "Papermaking" Saturday, February 27, 11 AM - 1 PM and again at 3 - 5 PM for "Quilt Construction" Saturday, March 5, 11 AM - 1 PM and again at 3 - 5 PM for "Installation" Saturday, March 12, TBD for "Eco Quilt Dedication"

It may surprise people to learn that the Antelope Valley landscape once contained several natural lakes. As the Pleistocene epoch became the Holocene, climatic changes occurred and temperatures began to rise; following these changes, the large lakes eventually desiccated. These once large bodies of water are now represented as dry lake beds (such as the Rogers and Rosamond dry lakes) where Edwards Air Force Base has been established. The flat, hard surface that remains where these lakes once stood provides a terrain suitable for runways, acting as a natural extension to the tarmac. Views of these dry lake beds are especially prominent when looking at aerial shots of the Antelope Valley; they can be seen as large, barren flatlands surrounded by the usual desert topography. Though there is no way these lakes could be restored to their previous capacity, it is common for these dry lakes to retain small amounts of water during extremely rainy seasons. Photos courtesy of MOAH Collections

Snezana Saraswati Petrovic’s current show, “Collateral Damage” is on view at MOAH:CEDAR through August 18. The immersive installation speaks of the harm humans do to nature unintentionally. In this Q&A Snezana shares her connection to nature, her first impressions of the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve, and why art matters. Q: Snezana, when did you first become interested in looking at nature from the perspective of an artist? A: This is hard question. I believe that we are the nature. We might be separated superficially by the urban boundaries, but we all experience the day/night rhythms and respond to changes in weather. The most of art production is happening in the cities. The disconnection with the nature is resulting in the need to create arts. While in art school I learned about Andrew Goldsworthy works, his “collaboration with nature” and Earthworks art. I came to realization that I was doing the same since my childhood. Snezana Saraswati Petrovic within her exhibition Collateral Damage I was occasionally spending summer at my grandparent’s property that was secluded and not accessible by the cars. I would go into the forest where the path would take you down to the roads collecting on the way the leaves, twigs, corn “hair,” grass, rocks and wild snail shells. On the pathway to where my parents would eventually climb up on the weekends to see me, I was making dolls, “things” with unknown and mystical purpose while placing them inside of marked spaces that now, I see it as some form of shrines. I always felt to be a part or one with the nature and not separate from it. Artist are in some ways echoing an image of a Creator, while creating instead of imitating. This was a common stance in Renaissance. Titian painting “St. Sebastian” was described as “the hand that emulates the hand of the Creator” or “la mano imitratice de la man creatrice”. Life, nature, creation are all one. Artist is just a vessel. I think I knew this since my childhood days sitting in the forest and creating by the rhythm of the spring water and winds. Q: Have you always been drawn to nature? Img:Snezana Saraswati Petrovic, Collateral Damage A: Yes, and in unexpected ways. I grew up in an urban environment surrounded by bricks and concrete with occasional trees and parks. My US friends refer to Belgrade, the city of my youth, as “low budget New York” with over one million population. In this high concentration of people, cars, and buildings, magic happened every early spring when the trees blossomed. The white petals and light green leaf cheered up the gray streets and in early summer this all turns into the saturated scent of linden trees blossoms and deep green shadows. I wanted to experience more of this verve and tingling energy and as a child I asked to spend summers at my grandparent’s property that was not in use for decades. Beside my walks through the forests while hearing inner music and stories, I was talking to the trees, spring water, and winds. I would spend half of a day laying on the top of the walnut tree learning how to be a branch and moving with the wind. This experience is something that I was trying to evoke in my recent installation at MOAH Cedar with a focus on the oceans, balancing the dry desert hot weather with coolness of the blues and serenity that water brings. Q: You recently visited the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve. What were your thoughts? Img:Snezana Saraswati Petrovic, Collateral Damage A: I was visiting on the early morning the preserve, before installing my work at MOAH. It is place of contemplation and beauty. The morning breeze, the bright but not hot sun, intensified the green and vigor of Joshua trees. I was hiking happy, knowing that bikes, noise, any wheels are banned from this space. Similarly to this preserve, the idea of having community-based conservancy is of the essence in my current piece ”Collateral Damage” at MOAH Cedar. The Prime Desert Woodland Preserve exemplifies the idea of grass-root community care for the nature. It also shows that determination, care and respect for our habitat can rejuvenate and flourish. By having more examples like this perhaps, there is hope for the Earth? Q: Do you feel that you saw the Preserve differently through the eyes of an artist? How? ImgSnezana Saraswati Petrovic, Collateral Damage A: We all have ability to connect to nature as we are nature. An artist way of seeing it is perhaps, ”larger then life”? The experience of walking down the Preserve’s path of sand and small rocks, while listening to your own footsteps, hearing birds and buzz of life can inspire an artist to create. I can imagine that feeling of rejuvenation and cleansing might be shared experience with everyone else. I contemplated for a long time Pablo Picasso’s statement that “Through art we express our conception of what nature is not.” I could not find any evidence in my practice for it. Artists do have unique perspectives individually, even from each other, but we are the creators. Nature is of the same essence. Creating in disconnect from the nature may be the reason for Picasso’s statement? Hegel was of the opinion that art “cannot stand in competition with nature…and if it tries it looks like a worm trying to crawl after an elephant.” My position is the middle ground. My morning inner dialogues in Prime Desert Woodland Preserve reassured me that my choice of topic in my MOAH CEDAR exhibition is of relevance to the current moment and all of us. Img: Snezana Saraswati Petrovic, Collateral Damage Q: Why does art matter? A: In this time and age, globally and nationally, art might be the only voice of serenity and wisdom. Art heals, encourages us to be better humans, proposes questions and helps us find the answers. Art is necessity of humanity since the dawn of civilization. The return of tattoos and graffiti art shows the need to visually communicate and express our existence, even without art training or knowledge of art history. I agree with statement by John F. Kennedy: "We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda; it is a form of truth." Q: Your exhibition at MOAH:CEDAR is stunning. Do you know what your next project will be? A: I will have to continue with different incarnations of this project and in multiple locations. The dedication of saving and preserving our habitat and humanity is life-long project. After my yogic studies in India and upon receiving my spiritual name Saraswati (Indian goddess of knowledge and art), I was not very clear on my goals. The “Collateral Damage” installation clarified the direction to me as an artist that brings the knowledge of science and art to the benefit of all. Q: What is your artistic background? A: I have BFA degree in painting and scenography from University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia. The five years program embodied the Renaissance artistic training where the artist emulates the nature and works of Master of Art, while discovering unique perspective in the process of growth. I was trained to replicate any style of drawing or painting from Durrer to Van Gogh to Picasso. My first job in LA was making the exact replicas of Van Gogh such as “Night Café,” “Starry Night” and Picasso’s “Portrait of a Harlequin,” for the galleries abroad represented by Platinum American Express My MFA is from the University of California, Irvine with double emphasis in video/digital arts and theater design. I continue to wear multiple hats as studio artist, designer and emerita art professor. My video/installation practice is inspiring my theater design practice and vice versa. I am recipient of numerous awards both in US and Europe, such as “Golden Arena” for Production Design in feature movie “Harms Case” or “Ovation 2010, Los Angeles” for the costume design in Large Theatre category. I was awarded UC Regents Grant and National Endowment for the Arts. I have exhibited my work nationally and internationally in Amsterdam, Singapore, Tokyo, Prague, Los Angeles and Belgrade, at the venues such as Los Angeles MOCA and Stedijilk Museum, Amsterdam. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Collateral Damage By Snezana Saraswati Petrovic at MOAH:CEDAR July 6 - August 18, 2019 Artist talk from 4-6 p.m. August 17. 44857 Cedar Ave, Lancaster, California 93534 Hours: 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday to Sunday ------------------- Los Angeles artist Dani Dodge is the 2019 artist in residence for the Prime Desert Woodland Preserve in Lancaster, Calif. In this blog, she documents her journey, art activations, highlights of activities at the preserve and the Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH).

On February 22, 1935, at the United Airport in Burbank, noted aviator Wiley Post laced into his pressurized suit and squeezed into the cockpit of a highly modified Lockheed Vega 5C. Post was attempting the first non-stop stratospheric flight across the United States in the “Winnie Mae.” Unfortunately, Post's historic flight was cut short after fifty-seven miles as he was forced to make an emergency landing at Muroc Dry Lake (now Edwards Air Force Base). Post made the landing without landing gear, and his descent was so skillful that the proprietor of the Muroc General Store, H. E. Mertz, did not hear the crash over his wind-powered sail car. When Post asked Mertz for assistance in removing his helmet, clad in his altitude suit, the merchant almost fainted from surprise. A few days after the incident, it was announced the record attempt has been deliberately sabotaged by someone who placed emery dust in the engine, reducing it to junk. Post survived due to his superb piloting skills and the vast landing strip which enabled him to avert a tragedy. In August that same year, Post was involved in another aviation accident near Point Barrow, Alaska. Famous American cowboy and actor, Will Rogers, was a passenger on this flight and both men died on impact. Rogers believed aviation was the future of travel, and consequently took every chance he could to fly. Today Will Rogers would have turned 140 years old. Photo courtesy of MOAH Collections

Elisabeth Higgins O’Connor at MOAH, "blame/thirst," 2018. Los Angeles, being what it is—a big, sprawling desert grid with almost as many art galleries these days as there are Starbucks—can seem overwhelming when it comes to actually hopping in the car and making the point to go and see some art. Let’s face it, we sometimes spend more time on the freeway getting to the gallery or museum than we do actually viewing the work itself! That said, the amount of good work being made in this city necessitates that we go the proverbial distance. MOAH, the Museum of Art and History located in Lancaster, is one such destination, set within the hot and arid backdrop of the desert landscape. At the helm is Andi Campognone, whose program over the last several years has reflected both a keen eye and a decisive awareness of new art made and exhibited today. The exhibitions at MOAH are always imaginative and intellectually stimulating, often merging science, history and art. Current exhibition Woven Stories charts the narrative structure of art-making as it relates to fiber and the history of storytelling through visual form. The results are visually arresting, the stories familiar, yet fresh. Installation view of Ray Blender at MOAH, 2019. Photo by Mido Lee In the opposite direction way down south lies the Laguna Art Museum, where shows span a variety of cultural disciplines. Most of the exhibitions feature an inherent narrative structure that ties the work into a broader social consciousness. This is true of the current exhibition, Self-Help Graphics, 1983–1991, which celebrates the East Los Angeles printmaking workshop and arts center that emerged from the pivotal and groundbreaking Chicano Art movement of the 1960s. Helmed by Executive Director Malcolm Warner, the Laguna Art Museum continues to mine the rich cultural heritage that exists in Laguna Beach while also expanding the museum’s program to include other modalities and ways of seeing. Elisabeth Higgins O’Connor at MOAH, “hate stayed the ending” (detail), 2018. Still, some venues are closer to home for some of us. Such is the case with Cal State Northridge’s Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication gallery, which (lucky for me) is located a few hundred yards from my CSUN classroom. Again, as with the other two venues I mentioned, the Northridge galleries are committed to socially conscious art that reflects the ever-changing culture in and around the Northridge area, and the surrounding metropolis. Many exhibitions endeavor to support former alumnae including Judy Baca and Jeffrey Vallance, who both had solo shows on the campus last year. Again, these artists’ work speaks to issues of identity and personal responsibility, engendering a deeper awareness of our past and present political climate. In Los Angeles, “going the distance” can sometimes be challenging given the city’s vast expanses, but if you have a reliable set of wheels and a will to see some really good art, go ahead—burn some rubber!

MOAH: Woven Stories - NoHo Arts District If I mention Lancaster, CA, Angelenos hardly think rich, envelope-pushing, yet accessible art. You probably don’t even think art gallery. You probably don’t even think standing structure with 4 walls, you think of Joshua Trees and Poppy fields. Okay so maybe that last line was hyperbole for the sake of illustrating that Angelenos consider the epicenter of art in SoCal to be Los Angeles. But striking distance from the DTLA art hub is MOAH: the Museum of Art & History. MOAH: Woven Stories - NoHo Arts District MOAH is well worth the 1.5 hour drive into the desert. Let’s be honest, it’ll take you longer in rush hour to get from LAX to Burbank, so I encourage you to make the trip. MOAH was founded in 1986 as the Lancaster Museum / Art Gallery and evolved in the last handful of years into a high desert epicenter dedicated to advancing art and history appreciation in the Antelope Valley. Committed to preserving the unique character of the AV, MOAH also connects residents and visitors with fine art exhibitions and interactive history-based programs. MOAH: Woven Stories - NoHo Arts District May 11 – July 21, 2019, MOAH featured an exhibition entitled Woven Stories. Woven stories contained Solo Exhibitions, Installations, and a Group Fiber Exhibition. Using embroidering, second-hand materials, wrapping, sewing, ripping, roping, typing, stiffening, the artists showcased in Woven Stories breathed life into this new, visually attractive collective exhibition. Some ‘woven’ pieces were conceived of light, ethereal materials, while others were assembled from weighty textiles that tested the bounds of installations without ‘crutches’. MOAH: Woven Stories - NoHo Arts District In the main gallery hall was even a faux tea-party with crocheted cakes, pastries, and desserts akin to a desert hipster’s Alice in Wonderland. MOAH: Woven Stories - NoHo Arts District Upstairs (yes the MOAH is large enough to hold several floors) was Please and Your Everything by Nicola Vruwink. Vruwink crocheted magnetically coated plastic film from cassette tapes, rather than yarn. Predominately texts about love (although abstract forms were also present), Vruwink’s obsolescence of choice materials was meant to highlight the loneliness of modern urban life. This tongue-and-cheek play is not lost on the fact that this exhibition is in the less-populated high desert of Lancaster. The crescendo to the MOAH’s Woven Stories is Elisabeth Higgins O’Connor’s exhibition. Gallery-goers caught a glimpse of the monolithic and slightly jarring forms in Blamethirst and Hate Stayed the Ending. Fantastical, Brothers-Grimm-esque forms of animals filled the room in Blamethirst. Higgins’ use of familiar animal-like forms mimicked human experience and an intersection between nature and culture. Some animals struggled to stand upright, while others appeared fatigued. Each anthropomorphic form was constructed from second-hand shop materials stripped, chopped, and sewn in various styles. The unique application of thrifted equipment delivered a unique, heterogeneous sense of fatigue for each animal. MOAH: Woven Stories - NoHo Arts District MOAH is an artistic oasis in the outer rim of Los Angeles’ art scene, and one well worth the trip that is equally as long as it will take you to get to the grocery store. Gallery: MOAH- Museum of Art and History Upcoming Exhibition: LA Painting August 10 – October 20, 2019 Address: 665 W. Lancaster Blvd Lancaster, CA 93534 Price: Free! With donations readily accepted Parking: Street parking (but you will find free parking) Hours: Tues – Sun 11am – 6pm Thurs extended hours 11am – 8pm

I went to visit Mrs. Chris Calaba at her home in the countryside. I thought it was important to hear from somebody who spent half her life serving the AV community, and who witnessed its gradual transformation until her retirement a few years ago. She was the co-owner of Graphic Experience on Lancaster Blvd for more than twenty seven years, according to Mrs. Calaba, the oldest business in the heart of Lancaster. I told her I wanted to interview her for this important project, #CountMeIn. She agreed with the condition that I join her and her husband, artist Dennis Calaba, for lunch, which I gladly accepted. While having lunch, we talked about her business relation with the old Lancaster Museum located near the Sierra Hwy. Her business basically framed most of the art work hanging at the museum for the juried shows and for the former Allied Arts Association, now MOAH-CEDAR. Her business also did business with City Hall and other important companies in the area. I asked her if she remembered ever participating in the census. She said of course, it was really important back in the day where everybody wanted to be involved in the prosperity of our community, and the only way was to fill the forms. In those days it was important for our business to inform our customers about it every-time they stopped to see us. In addition, the local newspaper was our only source of information other than the radio, so we talked about this important issues all the time. I mentioned to her that nowadays, according to Census data, the area around The Blvd. and several blocks in each direction is the most difficult to be counted. She replied that it is due to the many apartment complexes in the area and many people have to commute to other places to go to work. Also, the demographic has shifted; there are more Hispanics, Filipino and other ethnicities, and many do not trust the government entities. I asked Mrs. Calaba what she thinks about artists participating in this program to bring awareness to the importance of the Census 2020. It is wonderful, she replied, people trust artists more than they do trust politicians. Artists are visible and they care about community growth; “artist make our lives richer and beautiful, I know, I am married to one”. She also said that having the MOAH supporting us is very important, because the museum is now the heart of this community. I am glad our little downtown has grown to be known beyond Los Angeles. After lunch, we sat on her living room and she talked to me on camera inviting the community to participate and be counted.

Today, we examine the natural history of the Antelope Valley and the greater state of California. Before the arrival of humans to the continent, large animals known as “Megafauna” dominated the landscape. North American megafauna was highly diverse and included among them some of the most iconic and recognizable animals to ever walk the earth. Herbivores like the Mammoth and American Bison and carnivores like the Saber-toothed Tiger and Dire Wolf roamed across ancient California long before the arrival of humans. Many lesser-known species roamed the Californian landscape alongside these famous animals. Among these creatures were giant ground sloths that could weigh up to 2200 lbs. and towering short-faced bears that stood over 11 feet tall! Other megafauna that existed in California before the arrival of humans included the American Lion, North American Cheetah, and several Camel species. Megafauna existed throughout the world in consistent abundance for hundreds of millions of years. Only in the past 10,000 to 15,000 years did the biodiversity of the megafauna in North America begin to decline and species begin to go extinct at exponential rates. Of course, the loss of the megafauna closely coincides with the expansion of the human species throughout the globe. As humans began to settle in an area, the species of megafauna that also called that area home inevitably dwindled in number and usually died off rapidly. The same was true for California’s megafauna. The vast majority of the megafauna that existed in California before human settlement are now extinct. Some notable exceptions include the California Condor and American Bison. The California Condor is the largest existing North American land bird and is currently listed as critically endangered. California Condors are scavengers and subsist primarily upon already-deceased animals. Before the arrival of humans to the continent, the California Condor had a range that covered all of North America. The abundance of other megafauna on the continent meant that the California Condor had plenty of food to support its large size. With the arrival of humans and the coinciding mass extinction of the North American megafauna, the California Condor’s range began to shrink and the species went extinct everywhere but in California. Here, the California Condor was able to survive into modern times by subsisting upon dead marine life that washed up along California’s shores. Their numbers continued to diminish into the 19th and 20th centuries as Western settlers further encroached upon their habitats. In 1982, only 23 California Condors existed in the wild. Over the past 40 years, interventions by scientists have resulted in an increase in the wild condor population to about 290. Though still critically endangered, the California Condor’s continued existence is certainly encouraging. The California Condor and American Bison are what remains of an awe-inspiring period in the natural history of the Antelope Valley and California. These organisms, frozen in time, offer us a glimpse into an oft-forgotten and spectacular world. Kurt Moses, La Brea Tar Pits, National Park Service