This is a not to be missed trip for residents and visitors of the high desert alike! Noah Purifoy (1917-2004) was a celebrated artist and arts educator who resided in the high desert for the last decade plus of his life. Noah was a trained artist (at Chouinard Institute now CalArts) whose expertise was in assemblage art. He was a master at putting materials together in profound and deeply moving ways.

The 7.5 acres of sculptures that make up the site have been weathered by the harsh desert environment (sun, wind and rain) over time — just the way he imagined and wanted. In recent years, some of the pieces have been “spruced up” by his foundation, but all remain in place. Meandering through the site reveals an artist at the height of his powers with a wealth of human experience. Early pieces are on the western side of the property and generally radiate out from the trailer that was his home and its attached workshop. Final pieces include the “gallows” and a large Quonset structure that while he was living, served as a gallery for a collection of wall based work.

Noah was always working on several new pieces and designed them all in his head (never sketching them out in advance). He understood his process as an improvisational one — where he was working collaboratively with the materials he could get (and the power they held from their earlier use), his assistants and the environment of Joshua Tree.

62975 Blair Ln, Joshua Tree, CA 92252

www.noahpurifoy.com