Pioneertown, CA is one of those sacred, surreal communities that you find scattered around the American landscape. Pockets of oddity with a sense of humor and a sense of pride in placement.
Its proximity to Los Angeles and raison d’etre as a cowboy backdrop for mid 20th century westerns, gives Pioneertown its rich cinematic aesthetic; high desert, wolf howl loneliness and the OK Coral – literally – at one end of Mane Street and old timey wild west structures that make up the business and creator community that lives there today. All this bracketed by the magic of the Mojave, that stripped bare purity of stone, tumbleweed, and starlight.
I came to Pioneertown about a week and a half ago after losing myself to those Mojave stars for a chunk – vibrating on high, feeling translucent, boundaries and body borders between myself and the surrounding Joshua Trees becoming threadbare, it was time to reconnect with civilization again.
I have a dear old friend who lives in Palm Springs and she reminded me of Pioneertown and introduced me to what its become in the last decade. I used to live in LA years ago, late 90’s to mid-Oughts and I would come to Pioneertown and Joshua Tree regularly to escape the city and thats when I initially fell in love with this area. Pioneertown definitely had its characters back then but the flourishing art and creator community that is in place now, took root while I’ve been gone. As I was doing research on some of the possible local women I could reach out to about my project and hopefully connect with and interview, I came across the Pioneertown General Store and its owner and creator, Sarah Tubbush. I was reading a blog post of an interview with her and she just leapt off off the screen for me. Thats how this all works really, I see a shine around a woman and I just wanted to meet her and talk to her in the context of this work I’m doing. Its really no more specific then that. I have ideas of different walks of life that it would be fascinating to tell a piece of that story, but I don’t plan more than that, its pure instinct so far coupled with the growing network of recommendations from people sparking on women in their own lives who feel would be interested in this project. Its a great big instinctual daisy chain.
Back to Sarah. I got to Pioneertown close to sundown and I was a bit tired but i’ve got this thing now that especially when I’m feel vulnerable and a bit shy, thats when I need to honor the energy of this project of compassionate communication and reach out. So I got my camping spot in the Corral Campgrounds and walked over to Sarah’s General Store. It was like walking into sanctuary and I knew immediately I was in the right place. beautiful warm wood, rich color everywhere, pretty things and long stylish and obviously comfy couches to curl up in, I think Willie Nelson playing on in the background. I was in my version of Nirvana, surround by vintage and artisan love, I am complete.
The General Store is a hub in the Pioneertown community, people come and congregate collaborate, and share their work and art, its that kind of special place.
And Sarah Tabbush, what a treat from to get go. Immediately I felt like I was meeting one of my sister-friends; bold, open, warm hearted and generous. I felt energized and reconnected right away and the personal enjoyment of meeting a new wonderful woman in the world just made me happy. We chatted, I shared the project and the fact I was there to meet her and Sarah was real and gracious and totally down to participate, what a wonderful exchange. We made a date for the next morning to conduct the interview and we hugged when I left, our connection felt good.
Here is Sarah and a clip for our interview, do yourself a favor and follow the link and watch the full interview, Sarah is funny and articulate and heartfelt and has connected with a community of women, Daughters Of The Desert that are fascinating and inspiring in how they are transcending their their immediate community into one of sanctuary and activation.
please visit vimeo.com/248081694 to enjoy the complete interview with Sarah.
That relationship with community is what Sarah Tabbush and Pioneertown has sparked for me. That sacred circle that women have performed together for millennia, circle up the wagons and create a safe haven in the center of the circle. We will all take our place in the strongest shape in the universe, the circle, the wheel of support and refuge. When you need my help I am already here holding my place in the round and round of reciprocity. When I need help, I will reach out and my community will be in place ready to be activated.
This is how we are strong as women, as humans, its how we both survive and thrive.
This is the nature of refuge.
