Don Barrett (aka DBs travels)'s photos with the keyword: sculpture

One of the websites describes the animal sculptures as of animals that are currently here (e.g., the bighorn sheep), or might have been eons ago. However, on the guide this and its twin are labeled African Elephants, Economy? See the discussion of farming with the adjacent picture, note in this one that the palm grove in the background looks untended.

It's easy to imagine that this is what traveling across the desert would have been like when the Spanish missionaries were 'converting' California **** Part of an extensive metal sculpture display scattered across the desert in Borrego Springs, CA. Overall there are 130 sculptures scattered over the open desert; the display was created with an aim of using sculptures in natural settings (often of animals native to the area) to encourage reflection on the environement. The original creator of the display was Dennis Avery, the owner of Galleta Meadows Estate where many of the sculptures are located. The artist was artist/welder (Ricardo Breceda) who is based in Perris, CA. When Avery died, the Under the Sun Foundation took over responsibility for sculptures. The pictures are from a Christmas Day 2020 visit to only a small portion of the display, since there are many pictures, I’ll post them at various times in the future. Sources: underthesunfoundation.org www.desertusa.com/borrego/bs-art.html

... and dog The bulding off in the distance appears to be a very remotely located home. **** Part of an extensive metal sculpture display scattered across the desert in Borrego Springs, CA. Overall there are 130 sculptures scattered over the open desert; the display was created with an aim of using sculptures in natural settings (often of animals native to the area) to encourage reflection on the environement. The original creator of the display was Dennis Avery, the owner of Galleta Meadows Estate where many of the sculptures are located. The artist was artist/welder (Ricardo Breceda) who is based in Perris, CA. When Avery died, the Under the Sun Foundation took over responsibility for sculptures. The pictures are from a Christmas Day 2020 visit to only a small portion of the display, since there are many pictures, I’ll post them at various times in the future. Sources: underthesunfoundation.org www.desertusa.com/borrego/bs-art.html

There's actually two points to this photo, the elephant (see adjacent photo) and the very large, and very dense grove of palms in the background. The palm grove, and a citrus orchard (you can see the outlines of it on the right side of the elephant) are part of a relatively large farming operation (3500 acres) on the northeast side of Borrego Springs that’s visible in a satellite view of the area. While there’s a history of farming in the area since before the 1950’s, and a somewhat shorter period of trying to develop Borrego Springs into a resort area with golf courses and pools, both would be characterized by many as the work of fools. The Borrego Springs area is not connected to any of the major state or federal water projects and is thus dependent on an aquifer fed by the slight rain (average of 5.8” a year) and snow melt from surrounding mountains. The agriculture and the resorts (more by the agriculture) have been drawing down the aquifer at a speed that has resulted in the killing off of native desert fauna and results in a life expectancy for the aquifer of 30-50 years. In 2014 the state mandated that local governments facing such water disasters must take actions to bring usage into control, but like too many other similar situations in the West, no one can agree as to who is going suffer. Without action, this sculpture will soon be standing in bare lots of sand with dead orchards in the background, but there probably won’t be any tourist because the economy will die completely. FYI, a satellite view of the area is interesting, showing many unfinished resort developments. The Desert Sun article, below, gives an excellent description of the situation. www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2019/01/11/california-farmer-borrego-springs-groundwater-pumping-cuts/2169848002

The ewe and her barely visible lamb. **** Part of an extensive metal sculpture display scattered across the desert in Borrego Springs, CA. Overall there are 130 sculptures scattered over the open desert; the display was created with an aim of using sculptures in natural settings (often of animals native to the area) to encourage reflection on the environement. The original creator of the display was Dennis Avery, the owner of Galleta Meadows Estate where many of the sculptures are located. The artist was artist/welder (Ricardo Breceda) who is based in Perris, CA. When Avery died, the Under the Sun Foundation took over responsibility for sculptures. The pictures are from a Christmas Day 2020 visit to only a small portion of the display, since there are many pictures, I’ll post them at various times in the future. Sources: underthesunfoundation.org www.desertusa.com/borrego/bs-art.html

"Mom, make them stop fighting" "Don't worry, it's all bluster, that's just what guys do." **** Part of an extensive metal sculpture display scattered across the desert in Borrego Springs, CA. Overall there are 130 sculptures scattered over the open desert; the display was created with an aim of using sculptures in natural settings (often of animals native to the area) to encourage reflection on the environement. The original creator of the display was Dennis Avery, the owner of Galleta Meadows Estate where many of the sculptures are located. The artist was artist/welder (Ricardo Breceda) who is based in Perris, CA. When Avery died, the Under the Sun Foundation took over responsibility for sculptures. The pictures are from a Christmas Day 2020 visit to only a small portion of the display, since there are many pictures, I’ll post them at various times in the future. Sources: underthesunfoundation.org www.desertusa.com/borrego/bs-art.html

I particularly liked this one of a ewe and her lamb. Unfortunately, due to the very bright sun and a bush on the other side, I couldn't get a better shot. **** Part of an extensive metal sculpture display scattered across the desert in Borrego Springs, CA. Overall there are 130 sculptures scattered over the open desert; the display was created with an aim of using sculptures in natural settings (often of animals native to the area) to encourage reflection on the environement. The original creator of the display was Dennis Avery, the owner of Galleta Meadows Estate where many of the sculptures are located. The artist was artist/welder (Ricardo Breceda) who is based in Perris, CA. When Avery died, the Under the Sun Foundation took over responsibility for sculptures. The pictures are from a Christmas Day 2020 visit to only a small portion of the display, since there are many pictures, I’ll post them at various times in the future. Sources: underthesunfoundation.org www.desertusa.com/borrego/bs-art.html

These are the first sculptures that I encountered, and I liked them best mainly because of the naturalness of the setting -- but also because there was no one else around :) **** Part of an extensive metal sculpture display scattered across the desert in Borrego Springs, CA. Overall there are 130 sculptures scattered over the open desert; the display was created with an aim of using sculptures in natural settings (often of animals native to the area) to encourage reflection on the environement. The original creator of the display was Dennis Avery, the owner of Galleta Meadows Estate where many of the sculptures are located. The artist was artist/welder (Ricardo Breceda) who is based in Perris, CA. When Avery died, the Under the Sun Foundation took over responsibility for sculptures. The pictures are from a Christmas Day 2020 visit to only a small portion of the display, since there are many pictures, I’ll post them at various times in the future. Sources: underthesunfoundation.org www.desertusa.com/borrego/bs-art.html

Rams at work? **** Part of an extensive metal sculpture display scattered across the desert in Borrego Springs, CA. Overall there are 130 sculptures scattered over the open desert; the display was created with an aim of using sculptures in natural settings (often of animals native to the area) to encourage reflection on the environement. The original creator of the display was Dennis Avery, the owner of Galleta Meadows Estate where many of the sculptures are located. The artist was artist/welder (Ricardo Breceda) who is based in Perris, CA. When Avery died, the Under the Sun Foundation took over responsibility for sculptures. The pictures are from a Christmas Day 2020 visit to only a small portion of the display, since there are many pictures, I’ll post them at various times in the future. Sources: underthesunfoundation.org www.desertusa.com/borrego/bs-art.html

These are the first sculptures that I encountered, and I liked them best mainly because of the naturalness of the setting -- but also because there was no one else around :) **** Part of an extensive metal sculpture display scattered across the desert in Borrego Springs, CA. Overall there are 130 sculptures scattered over the open desert; the display was created with an aim of using sculptures in natural settings (often of animals native to the area) to encourage reflection on the environement. The original creator of the display was Dennis Avery, the owner of Galleta Meadows Estate where many of the sculptures are located. The artist was artist/welder (Ricardo Breceda) who is based in Perris, CA. When Avery died, the Under the Sun Foundation took over responsibility for sculptures. The pictures are from a Christmas Day 2020 visit to only a small portion of the display, since there are many pictures, I’ll post them at various times in the future. Sources: underthesunfoundation.org www.desertusa.com/borrego/bs-art.html

Tribute to Shorty Harris … and penguin. A tribute to Shorty Harris, an early miner in the area, by a Belgian artist. In the linked photo from 2007 you can see that there is a statue of a penguin next to the memorial for Shorty. I’ve always wondered why a penguin -- per the Straynger link below, the artist felt very out-of-place in the desert and thus chose an animal that reflected that sense of alienation. Straynger link: strayngerranger.com/chicago-west-rhyolite-nv Photo from 2007: www.flickr.com/photos/donbrr/3316119836

Last Supper , just outside the ghost town of Rhyolite, NV. The sculpture, created in 1984, was the work of Dutch artist Albert Szukalski who created the figures by wrapping live models in plaster (I’ve never seen a detailed explanation of how that worked). In the desolation of the desert, surrounded by worn-out and abandoned mines, it’s a moving scene – fortunately, every time I’ve seen the sculptures, there has been very few visitors to the art exhibit. Linked below is a more detailed photo of the sculpture from 2002. Sources: Artist: wandering-through-time-and-place.com/tag/last-supper-by-albert-szukalski Previous photo: www.flickr.com/photos/donbrr/3018022815

One of the statues at the Märchenbrunnen (fairy tale fountain) in Volkspark Friedrichshain. I'm lacking in knowledge of fairy tales, so can't say which statues are of what. For someone for the relatively prudish culture of the U.S., it's always a little shocking to see depictions of naked young boys.

Pedal boat at the base of Molecule Man.

Molecule Man, a 30 meter (100 foot) high statue in the Spree River by an American artist. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecule_Man_(sculpture)

An interesting older personal boat, with Molecule Man in the background (see later pictures)

Metal stage coach and horses. The field next to the display was filled with all sorts of metal animal sculptures. Per the road signs this small settlement is called Harcuvar (for the nearby mountains), but it also appears to be within the city limits of Salome.

A sculpture titled 'Spire' made from logs removed during the reforestation of the SF Presidio; the sculpture is a tribute to the historic forest of the Presidio. The dense forests at the Presidio are not natural, having been planted by the Army as windbreaks in the 1800's. Details on the forest, and the reasons for the reforestation, are on the following website: www.presidio.gov/about/press/Pages/Presidio-Celebrates-a-Decade-of-Reforestation.aspx