D49-1(S)–Church Rock, near Lisbon Valley, SE Utah
Church Rock is a unique sandstone formation located a few miles north of Monticello in southeast Utah. It’s a local icon of sorts, readily visible just off the highway. In 1998, I was commissioned by a local museum to photograph old barns in San Juan County, Utah, and Church Rock was on the list. In the 1940s, the land owner used dynamite to hollow-out a section at the base to use for storage for cattle feed. Visible in this image are the remnants of an old corral and a dilapidated windmill to show the scale of the rock formation, which rises 200 feet above the surrounding desert landscape. The weather the day this image was made was windy and the clouds were magnificent and added texture and contrast to the earthy tones of Church Rock. As for its name, the local myth is that in the 1930s a spiritualist and her small cult deemed San Juan County, Utah and Church Rock to be the spiritual center of the universe, and she ordered the complete hollowing-out of Church Rock to serve as her church. The 16’x24′ hollow section was thought to be proof of this but was proven false. (Canon gear, Fuji Velvia ISO 50)
Silent Pariah 
Gorgeous photo, Mike. Wonderful colors and the sky looks stunning. Thanks for sharing.π
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Thanks a bunch, Grace. I agree–the colors here are so dynamic and I love those clouds, too. They lend a 3D aspect to the rock formation. I always appreciate your constant and kind support, Grace! So glad you like this one. π
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My pleasure. Love it.π
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The sky is indeed stunning. What an interesting formation. It makes me wonder about the geological history. And that’s totally cool that it’s the center of the universe. π π
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Thanks, Diana. I really wish I knew more about the geology of the Colorado Plateau. It’s a fascinating region, as you know, filled with canyons, towers, arches, buttes and all sorts of flora and fauna. As for the “center of the universe” thing, I wish someone had told me this when I was a kid growing up in San Juan County, UT. Nearby Dove Creek, Colorado used to have a big sign on the edge of town declaring it “The Pinto Bean Capital of the World.” How was I to know that just 22 miles away in Utah was the “Center of the Universe?!” Oh boy! π
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Ha ha ha ha. You’re so funny.
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Such a great photograph, my friend Mike. And I love the story behind the structure’s name. You were really batting a thousand in photography. I appreciate you effort and skills in capturing such memorable and wonderful pictures. π€
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Thank you kindly, Lamittan! Your always-positive reviews are so encouraging and appreciated. I’m so glad my nature photography has gone over so well so far because I originally began posting my images due to experiencing my current bout of crippling writer’s block–I wanted to make sure I kept posting something until the words return. I’m so happy you enjoy these photos, and I hope they inspire viewers as much as they inspire me. π
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Yes, myself I’m inspired by your photos. I hope others are too. Keep giving us light and hope through your wonderful journalistic achievements. Feel most welcome π€
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Your photography is amazing π
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Thank you so much, dear Jane! I sincerely appreciate your wonderful words and support. It means so much to me to know people connect with my images (and writing, too). Your kindness is priceless. π
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You are welcome, dear Mike!π
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this stunningly masterpiece of photographic work is a perfect cover image for books or magazines of different themes. Church is one of them. another one could be a bell, still another one could be “a buried face” which is inspiring my of a poem of the same title ” a buried face”….. Your work is a constant source of inspiration for my writing! thank you Mike!
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Thanks so much for your always positive and supportive comments! I’m so glad to know you find inspiration from my posts. It’s a humbling feeling and I appreciate it so much. I’m excited to read the poem you’re working on. π
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THE HALF-BURIED FACE
(inspired by fellow blogger Mike’s photographic piece)
sandstorm suspended
like a jet stealth suddenly went invisible
art begins to emerge:
long hair is tied up into a bun
above the desert. body temperature
flushes in the tip edge of a pretty scarf
before the sun turns around
the train begins to read the tunnel wall.
with the help of a landscape painter’s dictionary
an unpronounceable language is being translated
skiing from the slopes of the ears,
muffled shouts of excitements
came out between the two skis of lips.
beyond the horizon of the eyes, light is sleepwalking
the flag flutters on a sunken shell
the prop mask is pushing open the skylight of a lake
underground palaces use man-made light for
checking the rotten teeth of the buildings above
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What a glorious poem! As always, your surrealistic imagery is incredibly contemplative and vivid. It’s fascinating what you can do with a simple photograph, how this speaks to you and inspires you. Thanks so much for posting this here. I’m always delighted to experience your unique perspectives on the world, and I’m honored that you’d find inspiration in my photography. Much appreciated! π
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A glorious image Mike, especially with the clouds overhead π
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Thanks, Xenia. During that commission assignment I was able to see parts of the county I’d never visited before and photographed some “normal” barns along the way, too! There’s nothing quite like a wide-open desert sky–it seems so expansive–and the clouds can have such varied personalities depending on weather, time of day, and season. It’s a very expressive area. π
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Wow this is huge, and the colors are so striking. I love your backstories to go along with the photos. Now I’m thinking all sorts of things about that spiritualist. Very interesting. Great shot Mike. π
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Thanks, Kirsten. Yep, this rock is a lot bigger up-close than it appears from the highway. The spiritualist was named Marie Ogden and she had a small community of a handful of buildings not too far from Church Rock which she referred to as Home of Truth. During my commission to photograph barns in the county, I was given permission to photograph some of the old buildings in the community, which by that point were nothing but deserted weather-aged shacks. Here’s a link for more info if you’re curious (and there’s some sordid stuff, too):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_of_Truth,_Utah
Honestly, I didn’t know a lot of the details of this cult until I did some research today. When I did the barn shoot, I was told the commune had something to do with some strange group of people decades prior, but man, this is full-blown weirdness. π
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Ugh, I love this freaky weird stuff. I just went down this wiki rabbit hole reading about Marie Ogden and the Home of Truth. It’s crazy what people could get away with back then. Thank you for sharing!
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Yeah, sorry about that, Kirsten! π It’s so bizarre… I figured maybe it might provide inspiration for a tale or three! π
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You read my mind; I was thinking this is definitely story worthy!
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I agree with all the other comments, the colors are amazing! Keep sharing this pictures. You are definitely a talented photographer.
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Thanks, Mark. Glad to know you like this stuff. As I mentioned to Kirsten above, the cult was pretty strange, and all of this occurred about 45 minutes from the farm on which I was raised. I suppose the desert has its secrets, eh? I appreciate your kind comments and support, good sir! π
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This sandstone looks like itβs posing for you. It looks mighty grand and proud of itself. Love the rich golden color and the sky captured in that deep blue. Imagine hollowing it out. Thatβs something I canβt even contemplate. You took a great shot, Mike. Congratulations! π
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Thanks, Terveen. Yes, Church Rock was an agreeable subject that day despite the strong winds! π As for hollowing out rocks, it’s happened before in this area. There’s an attraction a few miles north of Church Rock called Hole in the Rock. It’s a 5,000 square-foot home-turned-tourist-attraction hollowed out of a sandstone rock formation. It took 12 years to excavate. You can see some photos here: https://www.countryliving.com/life/travel/a43809/hole-in-the-rock-moab-utah/
I suppose some people are visionaries…and other people just like to live in holes in rocks. π
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Beautiful pic, Mike. The blue sky as a backdrop is perfect.
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Thanks, Jeff. The sky was rather glorious that day, that’s for sure! Those clouds! π
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Youβre most welcome, Mike. Indeed! Soooo beautiful. π
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Hi
I visited your site. I can read & watch you blog. I can read your biography. I can shok read it. But you good & strong. Very well do you doing. Beautiful written you blo.
Wonderful photography. Amazing capture nature picture. I like nature picture. Iam so happy.π
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Thank you so much, rajkkhoja, for your kind words. I’m so glad you enjoy my words and photos. I truly appreciate your nice comments and I’m grateful that you’ve stopped by my blog to visit. I appreciate it so much. Thanks again. π
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Thank you so much, Mike! Iam happy too !πΉ
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