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Volunteers work to clean up vandalism at Salvation Mountain. (Elizabeth Varin Photo / May 5, 2012) |
SALVATION MOUNTAIN — The vertical blue lines running down the side of the mountain had cracks forming, nearing the point where pieces were set to fall off the famous landmark.
However, volunteers from the area came in, covering up and painting over the cracks, keeping the area near the giant red heart up and viewable to the thousands who head to the area each year.
“There’s 100 places like that,” said “Builder” Bill, who has helped out twice a week for the last month. “We just picked the ones that was out front to fix it.”
While “Builder” Bill, a member of the Salvation Mountain Inc. leadership group to save the mountain, can point to different pieces of Salvation Mountain that he worked on in the last month trying to keep the area from eroding or collapsing, that’s not all that’s gone into it. Some have gone to the mountain and began to vandalize the folk art.
“We just want to discourage the idea of adding,” “Builder” Bill said. “It’s not a communal work.
“…Everybody needs to see it’s a monumental work of art that shouldn’t be erased,” he said.
Volunteers spent about an hour-and-a-half Friday morning covering up graffiti left on the mountain in the last few weeks. They took paint donated to mountain creator Leonard Knight and painted over the different tags.
Cleaning up went really well, said Imari Kariotis, who’s also on the board of Salvation Mountain Inc. It didn’t take more than an-hour-and-a-half for the small group of volunteers to cover up the tagging.
“I wish the people would respect the mountain and not tag it,” she said. “If they want to make art, scan it and send it.”
It would be nice to get a group of people out to help out to help make repairs, she said. It’s going to take a lot of work to fix up and keep the historical site going.
Gwen Bickett of Salton City came over with Kariotis, and said she’s met Knight and he’s the sweetest man. He put his life into the work he did at Salvation Mountain.
It’s one thing to come and put “God” there, but some have come in, broken into some of the vehicles and put profanity on them, she said. It’s disgusting what some have done to the mountain, said.
Salvation Mountain Inc. is looking for those who want to help make repairs. To contact the group, e-mail salvationmountaininc@gmail.com or visit them on Twitter or Facebook.
Staff Writer Elizabeth Varin can be reached at evarin@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3441.
To comment on this story click here to be directed to Facebook.
However, volunteers from the area came in, covering up and painting over the cracks, keeping the area near the giant red heart up and viewable to the thousands who head to the area each year.
“There’s 100 places like that,” said “Builder” Bill, who has helped out twice a week for the last month. “We just picked the ones that was out front to fix it.”
While “Builder” Bill, a member of the Salvation Mountain Inc. leadership group to save the mountain, can point to different pieces of Salvation Mountain that he worked on in the last month trying to keep the area from eroding or collapsing, that’s not all that’s gone into it. Some have gone to the mountain and began to vandalize the folk art.
“We just want to discourage the idea of adding,” “Builder” Bill said. “It’s not a communal work.
“…Everybody needs to see it’s a monumental work of art that shouldn’t be erased,” he said.
Volunteers spent about an hour-and-a-half Friday morning covering up graffiti left on the mountain in the last few weeks. They took paint donated to mountain creator Leonard Knight and painted over the different tags.
Cleaning up went really well, said Imari Kariotis, who’s also on the board of Salvation Mountain Inc. It didn’t take more than an-hour-and-a-half for the small group of volunteers to cover up the tagging.
“I wish the people would respect the mountain and not tag it,” she said. “If they want to make art, scan it and send it.”
It would be nice to get a group of people out to help out to help make repairs, she said. It’s going to take a lot of work to fix up and keep the historical site going.
Gwen Bickett of Salton City came over with Kariotis, and said she’s met Knight and he’s the sweetest man. He put his life into the work he did at Salvation Mountain.
It’s one thing to come and put “God” there, but some have come in, broken into some of the vehicles and put profanity on them, she said. It’s disgusting what some have done to the mountain, said.
Salvation Mountain Inc. is looking for those who want to help make repairs. To contact the group, e-mail salvationmountaininc@gmail.com or visit them on Twitter or Facebook.
Staff Writer Elizabeth Varin can be reached at evarin@ivpressonline.com or 760-337-3441.
To comment on this story click here to be directed to Facebook.
