Feb 5, 2019
Kit's
family moved to the desert in the early 60's from Duarte,
California. Kit was youngest of four kids, spread out over a number
of years, so two of her siblings had already left home by the time
the family made the move to the Mojave. Kit spent time riding
horses barefoot and bareback and made a few bucks to spend on
school clothes sweeping and washing curlers at Barbara's Beauty
Salon (now known as 'that blue building' next to Ink & Steel in
downtown Joshua Tree.
After
being voted 'Queen of Landers', Kit married at 17, had a child and
moved to a local reservation with her husband with what by today's
standards would be considered an early form of 'pre-fab housing'.
Living for several years without running water or electricity still
gives Kit an appreciation of the flip of a light switch.
In this episode, Kit also talks
about her appreciation for the Native American culture and what
life on the reservation was like for her.
Kit is
a 'doer' and has had many jobs over her lifetime. Among other
things, Kit has cleaned houses, been a firefighter, an ambulance
driver, a meat cutter and a medical supplies driver. That last one,
was the job that paved the way to her meeting renown environmental
sculptor, Noah Purifoy and ultimately, apprenticing with him for
many of his later years. It was Kit who encouraged Huell Howser of
California Gold fame to come out and interview Noah for the
program. With a home in 29Palms, Huell was also a lover of the
desert. Kit is featured in the episode with Noah - watch it
here.
Kit
has always been creative, but because she did not train in the
'fine art' of it, never really felt as if her work from found
objects in the desert was truly art. It wasn't until stumbling upon
Noah's place in north Joshua Tree that Kit really felt she was on
to something with her found object, recycled material work and
later, black-smithing.
Though
moving to the desert as a kid was a bit of a culture shock, Kit
says she and her family immediately adapted and totally fell in
love with the desert - she's been here going on 40
years.