A Sculpture Safari

The second part of Tuesday’s drive was to see the “Sky Art”, large metal sculptures scattered around Borrego Springs. I was totally unprepared for just how much fun we had searching for the various sculptures spread out along a maze of dirt roads. The artist had some fun too, many of the sculptures were installed as vignettes that tell a story. From family groupings of big horn sheep, to prehistoric herd beasts being attacked by sabertooth cats, to driving underneath the huge jaws and claws of a ferocious fighting Carnotaurus and Allosaurus. It really was like a sculpture safari! I wish I could share them all but you’re only going to see a (relatively) small sampling.

Now entering Jurassic Park. Lol.

Rog's view from the driver's seat. 

Just too much fun!

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear. lol.

First a little background. The artist is Ricardo Breceda and his story is as fascinating as his sculptures. Originally a school teacher in Mexico he moved to California for better wages. He worked first in the restaurant business and then in construction. He was injured in a fall and was selling exotic leather boots when he traded a pair for a welding machine. In 2001, his seven-year-old daughter, a fan of the Jurassic Park movies, asked him to make her a T-Rex for her birthday. He learned from a friend how to make giant metal sculptures and began construction on the dinosaur at his home along Interstate 215. A driver stopped and asked to buy it and he began making and selling the large metal sculptures. (And yes, his daughter got her T-Rex!)

T-Rex started it all!

Meanwhile, Dennis Avery (think heir of the Avery label fortune) had purchased several parcels of land around Borrego Springs. He called the areas Galleta Meadows and left them open for public recreational use. Avery was also passionate about the ancient history of the area and helped fund a book, Fossil Treasures of the Anza-Borrego Desert, about the history of Plio-Pleistocene life in the area seven million years ago.  

Galleta Meadows is now home to over 130 amazing sculptures!

One day in 2007, Avery stopped by Ricardo Breceda’s “Jurassic Park” and asked about the sculptures. Ricardo told him he could make anything if he had a photo, Avery pulled out a copy of Fossil Treasures and showed him an artist rendering of an elephant-like gomphothere. He was so thrilled with Breceda’s first sculpture he immediately commissioned two more to make a family. The sculptures were installed on his Galleta Meadows property in 2008 and that was the beginning of the Sky Art project.  Since then thousands of people from around the world have enjoyed visiting the 131 sculptures now scattered around Borrego Springs.

Gomphotheres - ancestors to the modern elephant.
Fossilized remains were found in the area.

The sculptures are found tucked among a maze of dirt tracks on both the north and south sides of town. Some are close to the main road, others require some effort to find. There are three themes – Fossil Treasures which depict prehistoric animals whose fossil remains have been found in the area, History and Nature, which include people and animals from the area, and Whim & Fantasy – dinosaurs and creatures that never lived here but are just plain fun!

Let’s start with my absolute favorite, the Serpent.  Obviously part of the Whim & Fantasy series, the Serpent is 350 feet long with the head of a Chinese Dragon, the body of a sea serpent, and the tail of a rattlesnake. It undulates under road and is just feaking incredible. I wanted to bring him home, but Rog reminded me that he is longer than our property!

Can I bring him home, pleeeeeeese??

So awesome!!

The detail is astounding.

Here are some sculptures from the Fossil Treasures series. I loved how many of the smaller ones were tucked among bushes like an Easter egg hunt, while the larger ones are just jaw dropping amazing.

Camelops

More Camelops, a llama, and Rog petting a Harlan Ground Sloth with its baby on board.

A peccary family.

Sabertooth cat.

Merriam's Tapir

Shasta Ground Sloth

Extinct horses issue a challenge.

Baby and momma Mammoth.

Sabertooth attack!

The Nature and History theme feature the local Peninsular Bighorn Sheep, historical figures including a prospector and the padre, and a 1946 Willys Jeep which was the first civilian jeep to explore the area. It also honors a local jeep club, the Herd of Turtles, who were enthusiastic supporters of the sculptures.   

  

Peninsular Bighorn Sheep

Two rams duke it out. 

The Padre and his dog.

Scorpion and Grasshopper

Early miner and his mule.

The famous 1946 Willy Jeep. 

And finally, a few more from Whim and Fantasy…

Velociraptor guards her nest of eggs.
You can see the fighting dinos in the distance.

Posing in front of my Christmas wish (hint, hint). Lol.

We plan on staying here a week. Hope you enjoyed the wildflowers and sculptures as much as we did. We have several more hikes and activities planned so you’ll probably see at least one more post from Borrego Springs!