My wife and I have made several trips to southern Utah for various reasons, and generally take a moment to get off the Interstate and drive through some of the towns along the way... Beaver, Scipio, Green River, Moab, and Monticello.
On one trip, we drove through Fillmore--the county seat of Millard County--named for President Millard Fillmore when the early Mormon pioneers were seeking to favorably impress the federal government.
Fillmore was the original capitol of the Utah Territory, but now it's just a quaint little town that harks back to Andy Griffith's Mayberry with a Western flavor.
As we drove through town, we noticed the following home/business...
The home itself was definitely...."unique", but as we drove a little farther to park, we noticed a small shop where the owners had taken the meaning of "yard art" to a whole new level.
The entire yard was filled with numerous sculptures fashioned from black and red lava rock and the twisted, windswept wood common to this part of the country...
Some of the sculptures are whimisical, some from the realm of fantasy--all are imaginative and reflect true artistic skill.
One of the most striking sculptures--a warrior on a horse chasing down a terrified vicitm--the sinewy lines of the wood almost make the characters come alive.
You can see the terror in this victim's face as he is about to be trampled by the fantasy warrior.
Even so, the artist threw a whimsical element in... notice the pile of "road apples" behind the warrior's stallion.
If you are ever traveling in the area, take the time to stop in and visit... it's certainly worth your time, and best of all, it's free.
Smitty
Fascinating shots. Selling heavy and mining equipment has allowed me to travel Utah and parts of Wyoming, Nevada, Idaho and Colorado. We have a gem in the varied and delightful sites Utah offers.
ReplyDeleteI expect to revisit central and south east Utah this year as I recount some of my years of equipment sales. I do miss selling Michigan Loaders and Wheel Dozers, Joy Track Drills and Euclid trucks.
Thanks for the scenery Steve, you have hit a sweet spot for me.
Jack
Someone has a great talent and lots of extra spare time. That would be awesone to go see.
ReplyDeleteI know this is long past, but the owners of this house were my aunt and uncle, on my mother's side. My uncle who is responsible for much of the art you see, passed away in 1995. He also made some amazing grandfather clocks, among other things. If you had met him when he was still alive, he would have been happy to tell you all about his art. I am glad you enjoyed his art work while you were there :)
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