Leonard Knight, an artist and believer with a mission at his Salvation Mountain

For pure joy, it's hard to top Leonard Knight, the creator of Salvation Mountain, and his religious monument in the desert in Imperial Valley.

"My dream has come true a million times over," said Knight, 78, putting down his paintbrush long enough to describe his passion.

His message, painted on a three-story-tall mound of earth and adobe, is unchanging: God Is Love. "Don't get complicated, keep it simple," he said.

Simple but heartfelt is Knight's artistic desire. And a daily stream of visitors comes to visit Knight and his creation.

 "I don't know anything about the modern world," he said. "I'm just out here in the wild -- happy as can be."

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For a look at an audio slide show of Knight and Salvation Mountain, click here

-- Tony Perry in Imperial Valley

Photo: Leonard Knight, 78, an eccentric artist and creator of Salvation Mountain on the east side of the Salton Sea, near Niland.  Credit: Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times