Nit Wit Ridge, (sculpture).

Nit Wit Ridge, (sculpture).

Beal, Art, 1896-1992, sculptor.

Nit Wit Ridge, (sculpture).

Nitt-Witt Ridge, (sculpture).

Dr. Tinkerpaws' Castle, (sculpture).

Nit Wit Ridge, also known as Dr. Tinkerpaws' Castle is a nine level house with undulating walls and towers built with cemented rocks. Building materials include found and recycled objects that came from the construction of William Randolph Hearst's estate where the artist worked at various times.

Architecture -- Domestic -- House

Outdoor Sculpture -- California -- West Cambria Pines

Administered by Art Beal Foundation, 881 Hillcrest, Cambria, California 93428

Located Bedford Street, West Cambria Pines, California

A nearby plaque reads: California's Registered Historical Landmark No. 939 (June 26, 1986). NITT WITT RIDGE, ONE OF CALIFORNIA'S REMARKABLE TWENTIETH CENTURY FOLK ART ENVIRONMENTS, THE CREATION OF ARTHUR HAROLD BEAL (DER TINKERPAW OR CAPT. NITTWITT), A CAMBRIA PINES PIONEER, WHO SCULPTED THE LAND USING HAND TOOLS AND INDIGENOUS MATERIALS, REMARKABLE INVENTIVENESS AND SELF-TAUGHT SKILLS, A BLEND OF NATIVE MATERIALS AND CONTEMPORARY ELEMENTS, IMPRESSIVE IN ITS SHEER MASS AND METICULOUS PLACEMENT. IT IS A REVEALING MEMORIAL TO ART'S UNIQUE COSMIC HUMOR AND ZEST FOR LIFE.

For related reading see Jan Wampler's "All Their Own: People and the Places They Build," New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1977; and a related article from Harper's Weekly, Feb. 21, 1975, pg. 12-13. IAS files contain related excerpts from Kristan Lawson and Anneli S. Rufus' "America Off The Wall, The West Coast: A Guide To Unusual Sights," New York: John Wiley & Sons, pg. 49; and Seymour Rosen's "In Celebration of Ourselves," California Living Book and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. IAS files contain related articles from The Cambrian, June 29, 1994; and the Los Angeles Times, Aug. 26, 1988, pg. 3 and 34. IAS files contain the publication, "Art Beal Foundation, Inc., 1983: Prospectus of Future Development of Nit Wit Ridge, California Historical Landmark #939, Western Section, Cambria Pines, California," prepared by Steven Rebuck, 1983.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, California survey, 1994.

Los Angeles Times, Aug. 26, 1988, pg. 3.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

Control Number:

Horizon Information Portal 3.25_9382

Powered by SirsiDynix

About | © 2020 Smithsonian | Terms of Use | Privacy | Contact

SIRIS - Smithsonian Institution Research Information System