Where does your desert journey begin today?
Welcome to Desert Artifacts — a journey through the many eras of the California desert. My work moves through time the way the desert does: from ancient sea beds and fossil textures to mid‑century Palm Springs modernism to the sun‑washed pools and queer spaces of today. I create ceramics, digital art, and photography that carry the memory of each of these worlds.
Every piece begins with something real — clay, light, wind, water — and evolves into an artifact of a desert that has lived a thousand lives. Some works feel excavated, some feel futuristic, and some sit right in the strange, beautiful space between. This is Palm Springs as I experience it: a place where geology, architecture, mythology, and identity overlap, drift, and echo across time.
Alongside this studio work, I also teach, speak, and work one‑on‑one with artists who want to explore their own creative paths through this same lens of desert clarity, memory, and imagination. Go to the Teach section for more.
To be kept up to date on all of my shows and newest creations, sign up for the newsletter using the "Contact Us" box below.
For real-time updates on Terry's art, follow him on his new Instagram page at Instagram.com/Mr_Terry_Hastings.
If you're a fan of the male form with an interest in the erotic, visit TerrysDarkroom.com, and follow him on @terrysdarkroom.bsky.social.
Enjoy!