Desert Divinity: UFO Visions of Esther Pearl Watson, El Disco, and Agnes Pelton
In the Southwest Contemporary, Angella d'Avignon delves into themes of spirituality and extraterrestrial life through the lens of artists like Agnes Pelton, El Disco, and Esther Pearl Watson, all tied to the California desert. The narrative kicks off with a story about Esther and her sister Teresa's UFO-themed photo shoot at Giant Rock, California, echoing iconic 1950s UFO photographs like the Trent images. Inspired by her dad, Gene Watson, Esther illustrates UFOs against Texas backdrops. After the Eaton Fires in 2025, she moved to the desert and started creating art featuring Joshua Tree. El Disco, founded in 1987 by Joe Clower, Steve Thomsen, and Tennyson Woodbridge, has built a collection focused on UFOs. Pelton, part of the Transcendental Painting Group, infused her abstract pieces with Theosophical ideas. The article also challenges the term "outsider" and highlights the desert's unique creative quietness.
Key facts
- Esther Pearl Watson and her sister Teresa staged UFO photo shoots at Giant Rock in Landers, California.
- Giant Rock is a 97-foot-tall freestanding boulder about fifteen miles north of Joshua Tree National Park.
- The Watson sisters' father, Gene Watson, was known as 'The UFO Man' and built 'future-ships' from junkyard materials.
- Esther Pearl Watson moved to the desert full time after the 2025 Eaton Fires.
- El Disco is an artist collective founded in Los Angeles in 1987 by Joe Clower, Steve Thomsen, and Tennyson Woodbridge.
- El Disco created Polaroids of UFOs over sites like the Integratron and Harmony Borax Works.
- The Integratron was built by George Van Tassel in 1954 near Giant Rock and was inspired by Nikola Tesla.
- Agnes Pelton moved to Cathedral City in the early 1930s and was part of the Transcendental Painting Group.
- Pelton's abstractions were influenced by Theosophy and astrology.
- Esther Watson's paintings often feature UFOs and are based on her Texas childhood memories.
- The article critiques the term 'outsider' as pejorative and outdated.
- The Watson sisters' father shared affinities with Van Tassel and Critzer.
- Frank Critzer, a prospector, allegedly blew himself up in 1942 at Giant Rock.
- The article mentions the 1950 Trent photos and a 1947 UFO photo by William Rhodes.
Entities
Artists
- Angella d'Avignon
- Agnes Pelton
- Esther Pearl Watson
- Teresa Watson
- Joe Clower
- Steve Thomsen
- Tennyson Woodbridge
- George Van Tassel
- Frank Critzer
- Gene Watson
- Georgia O'Keeffe
- Nikola Tesla
- William Rhodes
- Elizabeth Armstrong
- Lily Watson
Institutions
- Southwest Contemporary
- Transcendental Painting Group
- Rule Gallery
- Vielmetter Los Angeles
- Colby College Museum of Art
- New Mexico Museum of Art
- Aaron Payne Fine Art
- Harmony Borax Works
Locations
- California
- Landers
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Joshua Tree
- Palm Springs
- Cathedral City
- Mojave
- Los Angeles
- Taos
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Phoenix
- Arizona
- Texas
- Yucca Valley
- Death Valley
- Marfa
- Denver
- Santa Fe