Boulders, from destruction to construction

In a quiet, grassy field below the foothills of Montecito, a couple dozen boulders sit in a pile next to the Casa de Maria retreat center. Stone cutter and artist Anders Johnson gathered the sandstone rocks just days after the mudslide on January 9th. He wants to use them to create a public memorial to remember those who died.

Stonemason Anders Johnson picked out boulders with a flat surface so he can place them as benches in the memorial. Photo credit: Kathryn Barnes.

The mountains above Montecito burned in the Thomas Fire, which is what caused the devastating mudslides in January and prompted several evacuations afterward. Photo credit: Kathryn Barnes.

The intersection of Hot Springs and Olive Mill Road is a potential location for the memorial. Photo credit: Kathryn Barnes.