No single event in the last 100 years has had such a dramatic and lasting effect on Bishop, CA than the draining of Owens Valley. In providing more water for Los Angeles the result here was the loss of a vast fertile land. Here too, was a great loss of life and the loss of a great life. And here in the drying fields, a war of rights was waged whose embers still glow undoused even today. These are historical facts.

In this piece entitled Drain, an agricultural Shangri La appears as a mural within a mural. This vision of the valley’s past derives from old paintings and photos, book descriptions, interviews, and visits to the less effected areas of Owens Valley. Breathing sweet orchard blossoms while gazing at the lush glory of this place 100 years ago, this depiction is not meant to portray a specific vantage point yet rather allow the viewer an ambient experience of the ecology.

Commissioned by // Bishop Mural Society

Site // Eastern Sierra, Bishop, CA

Address // 400 W Line St, Bishop, CA 93514

Year // 2004