In Bloom with Kim Sielbeck

Time for tradition. Our annual celebration of kaleidoscopic sound brings a new artist out each year to transform the Commune wall at Ace Hotel Palm Springs during Coachella. This year for Desert Gold, Antelope Valley-based artist Kim Sielbeck graces us with her psychedelic masterpiece “Superbloom” and offers illumination into the optimum desert trip.

With the massive amounts of rainfall California has experienced recently, it’s made for one of the most verdant spring seasons in years — contributing to an explosion of flora. Would you share some insight into what inspired this year’s Desert Gold mural “Super Bloom”? 

The desert is such a resilient, interesting, and beautiful place. There’s nothing that compares with the joy of seeing endless fields of green, orange, purple, and yellow in a place that is normally extremely harsh and difficult to live. Memories of those few celebratory weeks in spring can carry me through a whole year. I really wanted to share that feeling and celebrate the aftermath of all the rains this year, including all native California plants. I’d love this piece to serve as a reminder to stop and appreciate the special time and place we find ourselves.

What are some of your favorite details? Any easter eggs hiding in the detail that people should look out for? 

I loved adding the desert critters! I’ve painted Mojave Green Rattlesnakes before, and love to make them look a little sillier than they are in real life. Rattlesnakes are often portrayed as venomous bad guys, but they’re just a part of the landscape and doing what they have to do to survive. No Easter eggs in the details, although my husband (who is a pilot) likes to think some of the stars could represent lights of an airplane at night. Or maybe they’re UFOs…

As someone who moved around quite a bit growing up + after living in many varied geographic locales, what drew you to make the desert home? 

Moving to the Mojave desert was never part of the plan, until I got married and relocated. The adjustment was very difficult for me. Once I was here during the spring, though, it clicked that if all those beautiful wildflowers can survive and thrive every year, then there’s no reason why I can’t. I’m not sure how long I’ll be in the desert, but I’ve come to appreciate the beauty it has to offer year-round and am appreciating my time here.

Can you share a few  of your favorite can’t miss places or activities for those visiting the high desert? 

Yes! I live in the Antelope Valley, about an hour north of LA. The Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve has over 8 miles of trails that wind through wildflower-covered hills. It’s my favorite place in the spring to walk, draw, and soak in the color. The Museum of Art and History is located in Lancaster, CA, and is a beautiful, modern museum with tons of interesting shows. Prime Desert Woodland Preserve is one of my other favorite places year-round to draw Joshua trees and other native plants.

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