By Josh Sens

Amason by trade, Thomas Battersby Child Jr. devoted the last 18 years of his life to an unpaid project: Gilgal Sculpture Garden, an exhibit tucked between houses in Salt Lake City. The garden, which Child tinkered with until his death in 1963, contains 12 sculptures and dozens of stones engraved with poems and passages from Scripture. One work combines the head of the sphinx with the face of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith. It stands near Child’s monument to peace, a cluster of swords and pruning hooks protruding from the soil.

In creating the folk art glen, the artist asked himself, "Can I create a sanctuary . . . that will shut out fear and keep one’s mind young and alert . . . no matter how perilous the times?" See for yourself how well he succeeded—or ask the sphinx. Information: (801) 972-7800, www.gilgalgarden.org.