High Desert Cultural Arts Foundation

2006-2007 HDCAF Board of Trustees

 The Beginning

The concept of an arts center in the High Desert began at the organizational meeting of the High Desert Cultural Arts Foundation in 1987.  Mostly visual artists and a few performing arts people met in the back room of a gallery owned at that time by Jocelyn Hunt.  The meeting was called by High Desert sculptor Joe Corda, who conceived the idea of the Foundation and served as its first President.  At that gathering, the framework of the organization was agreed upon, and some goals were set.  Dates for an art show were selected immediately, a multi-venue event embracing all the arts was discussed for the future, and the long range goal was a facility, in which the group could host visual and performing arts events while fostering support for the arts and artists of our community. 

Several members kept the dream of an arts center alive in the early years of the HDCAF.  Principal among those were Gudelia McMurray and Ruth Theodos, who were very active in fund-raising projects.  Were it not for the dedication of these two individuals and some others, there may never in our lifetimes have been a High Desert Center for the Arts. 

This document has been drafted so that HDCAF leaders of the future will know that the Center for the Arts, which they will have inherited, is not an accomplishment of merely those who were on the scene at the time.  Generous accolades must go to those who labored long and hard before the fact.

 High Desert Center for the Arts

HDCA Comes to Be   Original HACAF Board     HDCA Restoration    Photo of the Theater   Original HDCA Board  Ghosts Stories

Before HDCA   

It can be safely said that the arts history of the area began on the site of what is now the High Desert Center for the Arts.  In the late 1860's, Mormon freighters and muleskinners camped in this area and no doubt some of them played a jaw harp or whittled a figurine out of a cottonwood stick while sitting around a campfire.  A few decades later, just a block away was the home of Marie Chapuli, a famous Paiute basket maker who died about 1958, and whose baskets are still displayed in museums. The home of Jacob Nash Victor, after whom the community was named, was on this site in the mid 1880's.  The first high school was held in a house on the same block, and the Mormons held church in a house on what is now a parking lot on the south side of the main building.

 In 1943, the staff of President Roosevelt appropriated $75,000 and commissioned a USO to be built on the site to serve local military personnel.  After the war it was consigned to San Bernardino County and became a Community Center.  In what is believed to be the first dramatic production in the building, the Desert Theater Arts and Music Guild staged Waltz Dream in 1949.

Over the years, the facility has been the setting for flower shows, quincineras, exercise classes, dance lessons, basketball, Meals on Wheels, musical events and a multitude of other community uses.  Upon incorporation of the City of Victorville, the site became part of the Parks and Recreation Department.  Remodeling occurred at least twice before the refurbishment by the HDCAF in 2001.

 Here's how the High Desert Center for the Arts came to be:

 It was early June, 2000 at a chance meeting of Richard Bunnell, Director of Victorville Parks, Recreation and Community Services and Dick Dorwald, the President of HDCAF at that time.  The two had an amiable relationship having worked together over the years in a partnership between the city and the Theater Arts Guild.  They had talked previously many times about eventually using the 8^th Street Community Center for theater events only, instead of as a ulti-purpose facility. After exchanging pleasantries, Bunnell remarked, "You're now involved in the Cultural Arts Foundation, aren't you?"   Dorwald nodded in response, "And we have an idea about making the Community Center a Center for the Arts --- you know, theater, gallery, maybe classrooms for art and acting classes.  One of our guys came up with the idea, another of our former members can supervise the work."  "Bunnell didn't respond so Dorwald went on. "I'm quite sure we have the money to do it.  And you know, it makes perfect sense to have an arts center in a building with historical significance.  We'll put in a sloped floor, have room for a nice gallery, improve the light and sound systems..." At Bunnell's thoughtful half-smile, Dorwald stopped talking.  In marketing for much of his life, he realized that when the client was sold, the good salesman doesn't say anything further.  "I think your suggestion is most timely,"  grinned Bunnell.

A meeting was scheduled for 9 AM, June 16, 2000 at City Hall.  Attending were Bunnell, Dorwald, Jon Gargan, head of facilities for the department and Jennifer Clarke, in charge of scheduling the various city facilities.  The four agreed in concept that the idea would work. Bunnell, ever the consummate bureaucrat, began to  "grease the skids".  Realizing that Rudy Cabriales was the City Council liaison to the Old Town Property Owners Association, he arranged for Clarke to meet with the group, at which time she presented the idea and received an enthusiastic endorsement. The next button that Bunnell pushed:  after briefing key members of the Parks Advisory Committee, he got Dorwald invited to their upcoming meeting.  Long-time committee member and subsequent generous supporter of HDCAF , Doris Davies was instrumental in getting a unanimous endorsement for converting the Community Center to a Center for the Arts.  Finally, the City Council was to rule on the matter.  Bunnell and Dorwald sat next to each other at the proceedings.  After the resolution was read, which outlined the proposed partnership between HDCAF and the City, comments were solicited.  A couple of the Council members made brief remarks of approval.  Dorwald nudged Bunnell.  "Should I say something?" Bunnell whispered, "Well, you can if you want to, but you don't need to."   It was then that Dorwald realized this exercise was a pre-planned "slam dunk" in favor of the partnership.  The five green lights of "Aye" by Council appeared almost in unison.

Members of the City Council left it up to the city staff to work out the agreement. with HDCAF.  This process became rather time-consuming because HDCAF board members wanted every "i" dotted and every "t" crossed to be sure that the facility would be theirs to use in perpetuity for promotion of the arts, so long as HDCAF obeyed the law, accomplished their mission and remained solvent.  Thus, actual work on the refurbishment was delayed until January, 2001. 

Original HDCAF Board members

HDCAF Board members unanimously approved the partnership.  Board members at the time  were:  Art Baker, John Brannon, John Bascom, Sally Brandes, Nancy Dodds, Dick Dorwald, Susie Dyrnness, Marti Edwards, Chuck Harris, Eleanor Heyman, Carolyn Lampignano, Margie Lough, T. R. Marino, Pam Martin, Gudelia McMurray, Beverly Pfrommer,  Ruth Theodos, Brad Underhill and Lewis Williams.

 HDCA Gets a New Face. 

The site on 8^th Street, between "C" and "D" was to continue to be headquarters for Shenanigans Youth Theater, at their facility on the south side of the site, with the main building converted to a 170-seat theater with sloped floor and a gallery, and the "little house" on the north side utilized as an Art Education Center.  The work began with a sense of urgency, since early July was planned for the Grand Opening and the Festival of the Arts to be celebrated concurrently.  Most of the backbreaking "grunt" work was done by faithful volunteers.  Professionals did the framing, plastering, installation of air conditioning and laying of the carpet.  Finally, a maximum effort by many volunteers accomplished the final cleanup for the opening during the second week of July, 2001.

The refurbishment included: 

1.      installation of air conditioning.

2.      addition of plush seating on a sloped floor in the theater

3.      making provision for a spacious gallery for art and sculpture

4.      increasing the depth of the stage by six feet, adding a curved proscenium

5.      erection of an interior-lit sign on the corner of 8^th and "D"

6.      installation of a Venetian stage curtain with a custom raising-lowering device

7.      laying of carpet throughout the theater, gallery and lobby

8.      addition of chandeliers, unique house lighting, custom gallery lighting and other cosmetic touches

Ghost Stories

During refurbishment, it became evident to those more perceptive among the volunteers, that we were sharing the facility with "spirits".  Unusual images appeared in photographs, some individuals actually "sensed" their presence and the dozen or so feral cats that occupied the crawl space under the building, were suddenly gone and have never returned. A mother and daughter had a brief observation of a "spirit" in the back stage area of the theater. To those who are sensitive to the presence of these entities, they seem to be benign and approve of what is happening in the former USO. 

 Original HCDA's Board of Directors

The Board of Directors named the facility the "High Desert Center for the Arts"" appointed Dorwald as Executive Director, T. R. Marino as Facilities Manager, Beverly Pfrommer as Public Information Officer and Jan Terry as Gallery Manager.  Subsequent appointments were Eleanor Heyman as Coordinator of Weekend Volunteers and Jane Niez as Coordinator of Weekday Volunteers. 

 It should be noted that the refurbishment, costing around $100,000, was done at no expense to taxpayers.  It was also decided by the HDCAF Board of Directors that the facility would be operated solely by volunteers and unsalaried staff.  By the end of the first year around 75 volunteers worked with the six staff members.