Linda vista ranch

Residents do not hold mortgages; instead, homes are communally owned and bills are paid in common. We all must agree on how money is spent. When one family leaves, the community determines who can live in the vacated house. Homes range from tiny two-room cottages to the U-shaped family-style dwelling with multiple bedrooms that Mary Anne lives in. Like every structure on the property, it is painted in a red-and-white color scheme, and the interiors are covered floor to ceiling with brightly hued pieces from artists who lived and worked on the ranch.

The heart of the community is the tin-roofed Wilson Barn Art Center, a s horse barn that now houses artist studios. Here, Judith Stewart sculpts thought-provoking female figures out of clay and bronze. A native of Florida, Stewart came to the ranch 29 years ago as a guest artist. The rooms are as varied as the artists themselves. Pre-COVID times, the barn was the site of monthly exhibitions in the spacious gallery, concerts, poetry readings and public events.

Art camps and classes for local school children are offered throughout the year. Today, the ranch is home to about 14 families. And as folks age, pass away or move on, a new generation is stepping up to take their place. Some, such as musician and audio engineer Austin Owen, came to the ranch seeking a simpler lifestyle that would allow them to concentrate on their artistic endeavors.

Owen and his partner, Tina Bolt, a textile and stained glass artist, moved to Rancho Linda Vista in after returning to the U. McGrew was 4 years old when her parents, Bruce and Fox, founded the community. As an adult, she moved to New York City to pursue a dance career, but the desert kept calling her back. It was like I was a hawk and I could see all of it—the desert, the old dude ranch houses. I want my son to be able to run and play in the dirt and have the same freedoms that I did. Even Davis talks of returning.

In , Rancho Linda Vista was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district, ensuring its future preservation. It was a creative exchange. Numerous newspaper and magazine articles have been written about Rancho Linda Vista, but it was only recently that the story has been told in full. Culled from 15 years of research and personal interviews, this book profiles the founders and artists who lived on the ranch during its early years.

Search for:. Rebecca L. Established as a creative utopia more than 50 years ago, Rancho Linda Vista continues to inspire. By Rebecca L. Rhoades Photography by Dave Pisani. The entrance to Rancho Linda Vista is on the left. Burch, Cathalena E.

September 27, Page E1. Rancho Linda Vista website , opens a new window. Find the information you need by calling the library's Infoline at or by sending your question to Ask a Librarian.

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