Carlo Ronconcio

BY LAURA HENKEL
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARLO RONCONCIO

Carlo the Photographer. The name rolls off the tongue with a sense of familiarity and flair. Upon meeting him, his larger than life personality and his genuine curiosity of others is undeniably disarming. It does not matter if you are in front of his camera or behind it, his spirit is magnetic and intoxicating. His keen ability to read people provide him the insight to capture the beauty of every person he photographs. You cannot help but fall in love with Carlo Ronconcio.

His multi-sensory, high fashion soirées at his lavish mid-century home in Paradise Palms are nothing short of epic. When you are with Carlo, something magical happens. You are transported into world of culture, an aesthetic that blends old world grandeur with modern form, and a moxie to construct exquisite culinary delights that commands reverence. Carlo embodies elegance and a playful savoir faire.

If you don’t believe in kismet, you should. Enter David Aaron Smith.

A beautiful man with a perpetual twinkle in his eyes, Aaron embodies Cajun charm and Southern gentility. A prolific artist in his own right, Aaron is a classically trained multidisciplinary artist. His ingenious vitality is inspiring. It was inevitable that artistic collaborations would further broaden and nurture their independent and collaborative growth as artists.

Carlo had a home in Tecopa that he rarely visited. It was derelict when he purchased it, and the bright lights of Las Vegas certainly prevented him from attending to it beforehand. Slowly, the two men began to spend more time on the property. Channeling their energies to restore the humble abode, they inevitably restored their souls. “There is something freeing about the desert and the ability to be yourself unabridged,” says Aaron. Over time, the single dwelling began to evolve into a compound of lush gardens with new structures made from reclaimed materials in the heart of Death Valley. They created an enchanted wonderland in the midst of one of the harshest and desolate environments.

Villa Anita was born.

The compound is named after Carlo’s grandmother and sister who had the greatest influence on him. “They made me who I am today; a strong, proud, woman.” shouts Carlo while pushing out a laugh. The property is full of personal touches that embody Carlo’s upbringing as a child. It’s this sort of commitment to building a family atmosphere that helped Villa Anita absorb new permanent artists in residence in Jack Holloman, Katelyn Doherty, and Alexander “Skandar” Reid.
Each brings with them a missing piece to the bright multi-media installation that is Villa Anita. Jack is the son of famed micro-biologist, Lorraine Symington. Double-majoring in Biology and Studio Art while at Brandeis University, Jack brings method to much of the madness at the Villa. Along with creating exclusive jewelry for the patrons of Villa Anita from mined minerals and hand-built ceramic pieces, he is transforming barren parts of the property to foodscapes.

Katelyn brings with her an eye for detail. You could say she adds the woman’s touch to things. Her handmade macramé wall treatments to areas and building installations with live plants and ornamental treasures enhance the Villa’s beauty. She makes the Villa sparkle.

Skandar is the latest addition, bringing yet another artist of brilliant abstracted stone carvings to the Villa’s growing oeuvre. As with the other figures in the Villa Anita constellation, Skandar is multi-talented. He offers vibrational healing to guests as a way to open energy pathways in their bodies.
Over the next two months, the team will break ground on a ceramics studio that will house a large kiln and multiple work spaces for throwing and hand-building. It’s something Jack did for Brandeis University during his tenure. The new addition will lend well to Villa Anita’s mission of creating educational programming along with being an out-of-the-box retreat.

The property is a living art installation that will continue to flourish. It is also a unique AirBnB where guests take in the work in progress. They become participants in the performance, and many find their way behind Carlo’s lens or Aaron’s paint brush. But always, people take home a piece of Villa Anita to wear or hang on their walls at home.

The amalgam of Carlo, Aaron, Jack and Katelyn and the diverse patrons of Villa Anita make it a jeweled oasis in the heart of a bewitching desert. It is an experience that you will treasure always.

To learn more about Villa Anita, please visit www.villaanitadv.com.