Focus on this artwork and explore the Formations.
Knight was born on November 1, 1931, outside Burlington, Vermont, and had served in the Korean War. In the 1970s, Knight painted "GOD IS LOVE" on a hot air balloon that he built out of patchwork materials and a stove. When it failed to fly, Knight prayed and felt that God's response was that he should build a mountain. By 1984, Knight had discovered Slab City – a transient and retiree commune – and decided to leave a 'small monument' out of concrete and paint. Over five years, the project grew.The current Salvation Mountain is actually the second construction to occupy the site; Knight began the first Salvation Mountain in 1984. A rainstorm caused a crack in 1989 which caused it to collapse. Knight was not discouraged; he rather saw it as God's way of letting him know the Mountain was not safe. He began work on the current Salvation Mountain "with more smarts" – such as better materials and engineering, including adobe mixed with straw. After completion, the "mountain" was several stories high and was about a hundred yards wide.
In 1998, Knight wanted to expand the mountain. He gathered ideas from the Navajo who settled in the area around Salvation Mountain. Their pueblitos inspired Knight and he then began forming the Hogan. It is a dome-like structure made of adobe and straw that insulates from heat. Knight intended to live in it, though he always preferred to live in a shack on the back of his truck, and did so for 27 years. For a long period, he had help with the project from a friend, Bill Ammon ("Builder Bill"), of Slab City.Knight was known for giving free tours to every visitor at Salvation Mountain. An article about Leonard Knight stated that he was a "visionary American folk artist" whose message was "unconditional love to humankind". Knight "arrived accidentally ... [but] immediately recognized an opportunity to continue his large-scale gospel message. He made a mountain with his bare hands. Leonard built Salvation Mountain".
Vermont Slab City paint Hogan Burlington, Vermont Burlington adobe pueblitos Korean War Navajo hot air balloon