The Ranch

Photographer Drew Escriva has been isolating during lockdown with boyfriend Louis Marzin and two other artists at their home outside bustling LA, an old cabin which they lovingly refer to as The Ranch. In their rural paradise, the group of creatives feed on the freedom and remoteness of their home and surroundings. Together, the possibilities of creation seem limitless as their artistic minds engage. Alongside the gang thrives wildlife; the property is home to birds, bees, squirrels and butterflies during the day. When the sun abandons at the break of day, the moon arrives and wakes a family of skunks that live beneath the porch as well as a band of coyotes that howls insistently at the night sky. Albeit, the true masters of their humble abode are five cats that roam the property any time of the day.

We learned from neighbours that our 1940s house used to be a tiny brick cabin, and the first house built on the hill. The former owner, Jack, lived here for approximately 60 years, before passing away two years ago. He was an antique collector and we often find artefacts of his scattered throughout the fields and garden. I like to imagine who he was and how he spent his time. Maybe someone will find artefacts from our time here and wonder the same things?

With sweeping windows on every side and original concrete floors, the cabin always feels a bit like you’re outside, even if you’re not. Tracking the territory of the Ranch, Drew photographs Louis and his love for the undisturbed landscape and the modest but rich cabin. She dictates both a love letter to their home and relationship. The Ranch and the captivating nature offers a sense of peace as it shelters them from the stark contrast of the pace of LA, which looms somewhere in the distance, and a shield of safety from the invisible danger thriving in populated areas across the globe. Under the strong, blaring sun, Louis labours on his home and the soil that it stands upon with love and care. Enjoying the simple life of farmhouse living, away from the stressors of the pandemic, Louis, Drew and close comrades live the slow life, appreciating the beauty of the outdoors and the human condition. Karolyn Pho styles Louis with The Ranch philosophy, adorning him in handcrafted slow fashion, such as BODE, Poche and Worstok.