Wonder Mountain Open Source Space:
An Artist's Refuge in Southern California
We invite LGBTQIA+ artists, BIPOC creators, and anyone seeking solace in the desert - Wonder Mountain Desert Cabin offers a unique residency program for writers, healers, artists, and musicians. Nestled in the heart of Wonder Valley, California, just a short drive from Joshua Tree National Park, our cabin provides the perfect environment to reflect, reset, nurture your creativity, and reconnect yourself with the cycles of the cosmos.
We encourage artists and writers seeking a quiet and inspiring rural desert environment to consider Wonder Mountain Desert Cabin + Open Source Space as a potential residency location.
Immerse yourself in the magic of the Mojave Desert.
Welcome, seekers and creators.
If you found your way here through Bunny Michael—you are in the right place. Wonder Mountain Open Source Space is a sanctuary in the high desert designed for those ready to disconnect from the noise and reconnect with their creative essence. We are so glad you're here.
Artist Spotlight: Bunny Michael
We were honored to host Bunny Michael at Wonder Mountain Open Source this Spring. Bunny Michael is a multi-disciplinary artist, author and spiritual teacher who has dedicated her work to awakening higher self consciousness on the planet- the manifestation of love within all humans deconditioned by a hierarchical thought system.Their work with presence and self-compassion perfectly mirrors the expansive, healing energy of this land. Bunny spent their time here integrating with the desert silence, and we are thrilled to open this space to members of their community!
Ready to submit your full proposal for 2026-2027? Click below to head directly to our formal application.
Start Your Path To Wonder Valley
If you feel called to the Mojave and would like to learn more about a 2026-2027 residency, please fill out the inquiry form below. This is a simple first step to share your interest and creative vision with us. Once we receive your note, we will reach out within two weeks to discuss availability and share the next steps for your formal application.
The Space: A private ranch-style design cabin in Wonder Valley, CA, featuring a natural stone soaking tub, fast WiFi, and 360-degree views of the Mojave.
The Energy: A Supported, Self-Directed Sanctuary We believe in the power of a self-directed rhythm. There are no rigid schedules or forced critiques—just the expansive Mojave, the starlit nights, and the deep quiet needed for your practice. While you have the autonomy to follow your own creative flow, you are fully held by a restorative environment and personal guidance to help you stay rooted into the desert experience.
The Wonder Mountain Open Source Space (WMOSS) Residency Experience WMOSS is a curated artist sanctuary designed for deep focus and restorative creative practice. This is a fully hosted residency experience where you are supported by the land and our on-site team throughout your stay. Whether you are navigating the desert landscape for the first time or returning to the Mojave to finish a project, we are here to provide the grounding and resources you need to thrive.
Residency Details & Contribution We offer a standard two-week residency stay to allow for full integration with the desert rhythm.
Two-Week Residency: $1,250 USD
What’s Included: Private room, kitchen, bathroom, full utilities (including high-speed WiFi), mineral water soaking tub, and dedicated on-site support for orientation, desert safety, and creative grounding.
Scholarships & Equity We are committed to making this space accessible. Full and partial scholarships are available for QTPOC, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ creators. Please indicate your interest in a scholarship within your formal application.
Unparalleled Stargazing: Witness the breathtaking night sky, bursting with stars and the Milky Way. During the summer months, watch in awe as The Perseids and meteors streak across the canvas of darkness.
Tranquility and Inspiration: Find solace in the desert's embrace. The healing power of silence, the vibrant colors of the landscape, and the vastness of the sky will inspire and rejuvenate you.
Desert Oasis: Wake up to the gentle chatter of quail in the nearby Salt Cedar trees and spend your days surrounded by the desert's unique beauty. You might even spot a blooming cactus, coyote, jackrabbit, or desert tortoise near the property.
Our spacious 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom cabin
Private sanctuary: Each resident gets a comfortable bedroom with a desk for focused work. Fast WiFi.
Collaborate and share ideas in our communal workspace or sunbathe on the 50-foot outdoor patio with a soaking tub, cozy loungers and couches.
Prepare your own meals in our fully-equipped kitchen, stocked with organic cooking oils, spices, coffee, and tea.
Replenish with our healing mineral water, filtered through reverse osmosis for peace of mind.
Unwind in our natural stone soaking tub, filled with mineral-rich spring water from the desert's aquifer.
Unforgettable Evenings: See the stunning mountain views and starlit nights from our outdoor dining patio with a hot tub – the perfect spot to witness the epic Perseid meteor showers.
We at You Joy Life + Wonder Mountain Desert Cabin + Open Source Space acknowledge the Serrano, Cahuilla, Chemehuevi and Mohave (Mojave) indigenous people, the traditional custodians of this land. We recognize the ongoing impact of colonization and displacement on Indigenous communities. We honor their deep connection to this place and their enduring stewardship of the land and waters.
This inclusive residency welcomes LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and neurodivergent creatives of several disciplines:
Writers (poetry, fiction, screenplays, creative nonfiction, more), Photographers, Filmmakers, Healers and wellness practitioners, Movement/Choreographers, Astrologers, Curators, Earth Scientists, Activists, Musicians and composers are highly encouraged to apply.
Apply as an individual, or as a group of up to 8 artists working collaboratively. Note that the sleeping arrangements will change depending on occupancy. Please ask for more information. We have recently updated our cost to be more accessible, at $1,250 for two weeks - meals not included, full kitchen provided. Our current space does not fully meet accessibility standards for individuals using wheelchairs. We are actively working to improve our accessibility to ensure all qualified applicants, including those with disabilities, have an equal opportunity to participate.
Applications are open year-round and require a portfolio/work sample, project proposal, personal statement, artist statement, and references. Scholarships are available. No fee to apply.
‘Once out in the desert, under the stars, when I turned into the earth turning on its axis. Sometimes thinking, just thinking things through. But always alone. By myself.’
Ursula K. LeGuin
Forget yourself. Become one with eternity. Become part of your environment.
Yayoi Kusama
‘The sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being‘
Carl Jung
‘And I grew braver in the dark, which became somehow more intimate, less lonely.’
Ocean Vuong
‘Horses in my dreams
like waves, like the sea
They pull out of here
they pull, they are free
I rode a horse around the world
along the tracks of a train
broke the record, found the gold
set myself free again
I have pulled myself clear
Horses in my dreams
like waves, like the sea
On the tracks of a train
set myself free again
I have pulled myself clear’
PJ Harvey
Entries in Octavia E. Butler's journal
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Dream it. Ursula K. LeGuin did.
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Do it. Octavia E. Butler did.
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Explore it. PJ Harvey did.
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Decolonize it. Octavia E. Butler did.
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Wonder it.
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Believe it. James Baldwin did.
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Become Infinite. Yayoi did.
‘When I take you to the Valley, you’ll see the blue hills on the left and the blue hills on the right, the rainbow and the vineyards under the rainbow late in the rainy season, and maybe you’ll say, “There it is, that’s it!” But I’ll say. “A little farther.” We’ll go on, I hope, and you’ll see the roofs of the little towns and the hillsides yellow with wild oats, a buzzard soaring and a woman singing by the shadows of a creek in the dry season, and maybe you’ll say, “Let’s stop here, this is it!” But I’ll say, “A little farther yet.” We’ll go on, and you’ll hear the quail calling on the mountain by the springs of the river, and looking back you’ll see the river running downward through the wild hills behind, below, and you’ll say, “Isn’t that the Valley?” And all I will be able to say is “Drink this water of the spring, rest here awhile, we have a long way yet to go and I can’t go without you.’
Ursula K. LeGuin, Always Coming Home