Outsider art and faith on Salvation Mountain

Deep in the desert of Imperial Valley, off a straggly, narrow road, sits a mountain monument dedicated to God. The site was started more than 30 year ago by an "outsider" artist who saw salvation where there was once only sand.

Leonard Knight began his life’s work, Salvation Mountain, as a tribute to his faith. The masterpiece is brilliantly splayed across 150 feet of local adobe clay, hundreds of donated hay bales and thousands of gallons of paint. The mountain rises from the flat, cracked blue paint of his ‘Sea of Galilee’ and into lush patterns. A simple white cross stands at the summit.

The adorned hill curves to small grottoes and a large chamber that represents a hot air balloon on its side. There are waterfalls, suns, flowers, birds, trees and old cars. Across it all, snippets of scripture repeat again and again with quotes from the Lord’s Prayer, John3:16 and the Sinner’s prayer. While Leonard's mission is salvation, the world has responded with films, magazine articles and trophy’s. It was deemed a National Folk Art site in 2001.

Leonard called the site home for over 26 years. He lived in an old, 1951 Chevy truck, rising early to get coffee in town and returning to work adobe clay, old tires and large branches into the site. When the summer heat rose over 105 degrees, he’d work till just before noon and nap through the hottest part of the day. Dinner was early and simple followed by a bit more work perhaps and then sleep at sundown.

While Leonard was still working the site, hordes of visitors would follow him on impromtu tours. Publications and films from around the world feature him and the work. Today Leonard sits in an El Cajon convalescent home, quietly directing the preservation of his vision from a distance when he’s able.

Take a walk with Leonard in this 2008 short video about Salvation Mountain by Erin Lehn Floresca. Visit the foundation site to help preserve the work and wonder of Salvation Mountain: sponsorship@salvationmountain.org

Photo by Elaine J. Masters