Sep 16, 2019
A
native of Wisconsin, Shana Rhodes says she didn’t feel the
connection she was hoping for in Portland when she decided to move
there.
Intrigued by a documentary about dancer Marta
Beckett, who landed in the Mojave desert under interesting
circumstances and spoke of the wild horses and amazing sunsets,
Shana said to herself, "I have to see this place". She packed her
camera and paints and drove to the Mojave to see Death Valley for a
two week exploration.
Like
Marta, proprietress of Amargosa Opera House in Death
Valley, Shana was immediately taken with the unique beauty and
solitude of the desert. Wandering through abandoned homestead
cabins in Wonder Valley, she became fascinated with things
weathered by the desert.
Six
months after a third trip to the desert, Shana committed to leaving
Portland in six months. Without a job or knowing anyone here, she
found a house to rent on Craigslist, moved to the Morongo Basin and
was immediately hired on at Crossroads Cafe in Joshua
Tree.
Shana
continues to serve locals and tourists at Crossroads. She talks
about ‘hangry hour’ and how the crew works so well together in a
small space with lines waiting out the door during busy season. At
the end of her shifts, she loves going home to recharge in the
silence, with a good book and her dogs, Billie and Henry
nearby.
Shana
has been painting for 10 years – she uses it as a form of
meditation. Only recently she began to share her work publicly
through local art exhibitions. Initially, she was reluctant to show
her work, feeling perhaps she wasn’t strong enough to take any
criticism. As it turns out, her experience was completely the
opposite - feeling tremendous support and encouragement from the
women in the community and other artists.
Shana
is also a new first time homeowner and taking in all of the
excitement – and responsibility – that comes with that milestone.
She even put in her own concrete floors, taking her dad’s advice
of, “what ever you can do by yourself, do it.” And now, every time
she looks at the floor, she says she feels the satisfaction of
having done it herself, in true desert ‘get it done’
fashion.
Shana’s advice for folks looking to move to the
desert is to be ready to deal with the silence and solitude, which
makes you face your fears and hangups and to understand we move
with the sun.
PHOTO:
Carly Valentine - listen to Carly's Desert Lady Diaries episode
here.