The Zorthian Ranch | Our Legacy
For over 70 years the Zorthian Ranch has existed as a haven for artists & intellectuals, a community + arts center, and a natural respite from the city. It has also been used as a Movie Location for over 20 years, with many popular TV shows, movies, and music videos filmed here. Looking for a unique and versatile location for your next project? Let us know your project and location needs – we will get back to you right away!
Conveniently located 15 miles from Downtown Los Angeles in beautiful Altadena California, Zorthian Ranch rests on 45 acres of mountains, valleys, forests, structures, and sculptures. It’s distinctive architecture was hand built by the great Jirayr Zorthian (wikipedia), once a popular and eccentric artist in the area. Vintage vehicles, a variety animals (including a Llama), agriculture, and a diverse landscape provides unequaled potential for film & photo, community happenings, art, music and permaculture.
Alan Zorthian
Son of Jirayr and Dabney Zorthian, Alan grew up on Zorthian Ranch before leaving to study Architecture. Alan stays busy running operations at Zorthian Ranch as well as maintaining a private architecture practice (commercial and residential).
CAROLINE AILIS ZORTHIAN -Creative Solutions/Artist
Caroline is a lover of life. She has been known as a “Trash Queen” for her obsession with trash however these days she’s more interested in permaculture. She enjoys the ranch as a microcosm of the larger world and believes in the beauty of human potential. She grew up in between Highland Park and Pasadena and has a deep appreciation for the city of Los Angeles. After a study abroad in Florence, Italy, she moved to the ranch when she was 21 to help restructure. She runs the social media for the ranch and helps conceptualize how the ranch defines itself and many community events.
She is welcome to questions/concerns/commentary at corazora@rocketmail.com
TARA ELSA MACNAMARA ZORTHIAN-Artist
Tara was born and raised in New Mexico. She’s a multimedia artist who loves to sing, paint and puppeteer. She is also the granddaughter of Jirayr Zorthian and Dabney and has lived and worked at the Zorthian Ranch on and off since moving to Los Angeles 6 years ago. You can hear some of her music here: https://www.youtube.com/@
Brian Carlson
Ranch foreman and long time assistant of Jirayr Zorthian, Brian Carlson has personally made a lot of the architecture and sculptures around the ranch.
Phillip De-Avila Molina
Power house of the ranch and resident blacksmith, Phil has been an essential and incomparable part of the ranch since his arrival.
David Apodaca
Expert in all things plant, Apo has been a friend and component of the ranch for years. He tends to hundreds of plants around Zorthian Ranch.
Ireland Wisdom
Ireland is classically trained oil painter, trained in Italy. As an oil painter, she is inspired by Jirayr Zorthian’s work and the legacy that he left behind. She hosts figure drawing classes (with live models) at Zorthian Ranch every Sunday. Follow us on instagram @zorthianranch for more details.
CHRIS ZIRBIL- Tour Guide
Chris rakes, quilts, crafts, sews, sweeps, and gives tours at the ranch. She creates special projects for people that celebrate important life moments www.atenderundertaking.com, and is a working hypnotherapist and healing facilitator www.christinezirbel.com
JEFF G. RACK-Archivist
Jeff is a theatre director, designer and writer. He is one of the archivists on the Ranch and recently curated an exhibit of Jiryar’s murals. He has plans to do cool immersive theatre here and more exhibits. www.ArcaneTheatreworks.com
ROHAN GOYAT SUTHERLAND- Natural Builder
Rohan is a designer, builder, teacher of regenerative practices. He’s a Professor of sustainable architectural design at Cal-Poly Pomona and manages a business called Regenerative Systems
With a keen eye for the inherent synergies found in nature, he uses biomimicry to shape the built environment in an efficient, eco-friendly way.
He has managed a wide range of projects relating to self-sufficiency and resilience, either for individuals, companies or non-profits around the world.
Rohan also believes in giving back to communities in need. By sharing his knowledge, he tries to promote a regenerative lifestyle whenever he can.
BILLIE BILLOTTIE- Garden Manager
Billie is a top notch virgo self starter. He started his business in car registration and often juggles various entrenpreneurial ventures. He believes in self sufficiency in all aspects and runs the community garden on the lower property. He loves to drive the tractor and make the best use of materials available.
REMAC-Artist
Remac is a fabricator, seamstress, painter, sculptor, carpenter, karaoke hype beast, animal lover with a deep commitment to any bit presented. Into repurposing and revitalizing forgotten relics and quality refuse. Trying her best. Frequently injured.
YARA-Plant Expert and Garden Volunteer Coordinator
CEDRIC-Fabricator
IAN ROSENSUS-Farmer/Fabricator/Human
ANDRES - Shdy Sheprd
Andres frequently visited the ranch as a child with his rancher father and mother. He grew up around many Ranchero’s and continues to hold down the tradition of ranching, raising cattle, and cooking meats.
For more info you can find Andres on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/
GUNNER SIXX-Artist
Gunner Sixx is an artist & musician from Los Angeles. He has created event spaces, performed and created music for multiple musical projects as well as composing for contemporary dance companies throughout the US and Canada. Currently he has shifted focus to developing a deeper connection to visual art and has found creative refuge and inspiration at the Zorthian Ranch with his dog chicken.
KAYLA STRA
Kayla contributes her energy towards love and healing to help create healthier, brighter spirits and spaces. Focusing on realigning energetic fields to balance with the Univere’s frequency encompasses all living creatures, plants and ether.
You’ll often find Kayla amongst a small herd of horses on Zorthian’s Upper Ranch, shadowed by a small white dog with two creative and very intelligent homeschooled children roaming close by.
Kayla owns and operates a wellness centre in Arcadia called Santa Anita Holistic Health.
She often creates fun events at Z Ranch for communities to enjoy over on the Ranches Charles Carter Patio. Events include plant based foods, Yoga and drum circles and or sound baths.
