Dooby Lane

Dooby Lane or Guru Road is located on the edge of the Black Rock Desert just outside of Gerlach, Nev. It is a mile long stretch of inscribed rocks and desert inspired structures created over the years by DeWayne Williams, a longtime Gerlach resident, known around town as "Guru" or "Dooby." Williams died in 1994. Dooby Lane is his legacy, a quirky diary made of words carved on stones and sculptures made of desert detritus chronicling life in Gerlach and the Black Rock Desert. In the dry, desert climate the Guru's gentle humor and wry wit will be legible for thousands of years. This summer the

(photo by Irene Kung)

Black Rock Press produced a book documenting Dooby Lane. The text combines notes by poet Gary Snyder with inscriptions taken from Dooby's rocks, which also run around these pages. Photographs for the book were taken by Peter Goin and eight students. I was one of the photographers. Strolling down Dooby Lane under the great empty sky, I wondered how to make art of this man's heart, which seemed to be scattered in pieces across the desert. In his media hut I gazed at the empty desert through windows made of TV sets with the screens taken out. Is this how we see the world?

Down the road I stumbled across the Bird Structure, an arranged pile of rocks with a small engraved invitation,BIRDS PLEASE SHIT ON THE ROCK, and etched on a small rock underneath, WORK IN PROGRESS. Thank you, Guru, for that humbling thought. As I walked through the Gateway to Life Eternal, I knew any image I made would be beautiful. For THERE WILL BE NO WORK IN HEAVEN, NO ONE IS GOING TO SCREW IT UP.By Amy Chatowsky

(photo by Amy Chatowsky)

Dooby Lane is a handmade, limited edition, accordion fold book, with black and white photographs printed to archival standards. It is on exhibit at the Nevada Museum of Art, 160 Liberty St., in Reno through Dec. 1, 1996. For information, contact the Black Rock Press, Getchell Library, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 (702/784-6500 ext. 322).

(photo by Stacy Witteck)