Salvation Mountain

Way out there, in the middle of California’s Colorado Desert, is a message of love. “God Is Love”, to be exact, painted over and over again, countless times, on Slab City’s Salvation Mountain.

The three story high, 50 foot wide mountain is the creation of American folk artist, Leonard Knight. A high school drop out from Burlington, Vermont and a Korean War vet, Leonard drifted through the American landscape working in body shops and giving guitar lessons.

By 1967, Knight in his mid-30’s, was living in his van. He was visiting his sister in San Diego, when he had an intense religious experience. Knight found himself repeating the Sinners Prayer and from that moment, his dedication to God’s message of love began. He brought this passion to many churches in Burlington but found that he was brushed off by the church leaders. His idea of love was so simple, but he was told over and over again that it wasn’t so simple.

In 1970, a hot air balloon passed over Burlington with a message on the side. That’s when Knight knew he needed to make a balloon. So, he headed west to start constructing it. After his van broke down in Nebraska, Knight stayed for 5 years, learning to sew his hot air balloon. After 14 years, the balloon got too big and began to fall apart after too many attempts to inflate.

By 1984, Knight was living in Arizona, working for another body shop. One weekend, he had to travel to the Colorado Desert, and that’s where he knew he had to build something more permanent. For the next 28 years of his life, he set out to build Salvation Mountain. “I was just going to stay one week. It’s been a very good week” Leonard Knight, 1996. The mountain was built from found items from thousands of trips to the local dump, including the paint. The original mountain was not structurally sound because by 1989, a big rain storm hit the desert and destroyed 5 years worth of work. But Knight thanked God for destroying the original mountain before someone got hurt. After getting new materials, Knight set off to work on the second mountain.

The new mountain is covered with 100,000 gallons of paint, possibly up to half a million, all donated of course. The technicolor mountain is also coated in messages of love and hope, the upkeep in the hands of volunteers. Leonard Knight passed away in 2014 and a non-profit was established to maintain the sculpture. The mountain is still open to visitors and creators alike.

So, whatever the message of love is that drives you to create or to be good to your fellow man, keep that drive and compassion. Keep on creating and keep on loving.