Ken Knutson (b. 1940)

This teepee was built on Big Mesa overlooking Duxbury Reef. Supported by driftwood, its sculptural qualities caught the attention of painter Ken Knutson. In the 1970s, resourceful counter-culture youth were using recycled materials, such as wood from abandoned barns, to build unique, hand-made homes. It was a time of broad creative ferment in Bolinas. Knutson and his wife Sandra opened Bolinas’ first fine art gallery, at 11 Wharf Road and promoted coastal Marin and Bay Area artists. Among Knutson’s many creative projects, in 1984, he and symbolist James Wanless created a tarot deck called Voyager that used his powerful collaged images and gained national acclaim.