Tag: Jerry Hall's World of Imagination

The motley collection of junk-metal sculptures known as Jerry Hall's World of Imagination, which has for years fascinated visitors to northwest Tucson, Arizona, has sadly been disbanded.

I had the pleasure of visiting Jerry in 2006 when I was doing research for Weird Arizona, and was even honored to see the inside of his home where he had created an array of glass-bead murals, which were not viewable by the general public.

His bizarre collection of metal creatures, which inhabited every square foot of his front and side yards, was one of the most fun assemblages of so-called "junk" art I've ever encountered. And Jerry himself, a very generous and welcoming individual, was a pleasure to talk with.

Sadly, Jerry Hall succumbed to cancer in 2010, and this past weekend, his family was forced to sell his artwork in an estate sale. Word is the house, too, will be put on the market. ... Continued

On the very last stop on the very last day of my very last research trip for Weird Arizona, I met one of the state's most prolific, and friendliest, folk artists. His name was Jerry Hall, and his "World of Imagination," a collection of unusual, scrap-metal sculptures that took up the entirety of his front yard, had become a regional sensation.

I had been unable to contact Jerry before my arrival, but by sheer luck, he arrived at home moments before I finished taking photos and hit the road back to Texas. As a result, I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of hours chatting with Jerry, learning about what made him tick, and even getting a personal tour of the wall art inside his house.

Jerry welcomed me like a friend into his home, which is why I was sad to learn that he had recently succumbed to cancer. He passed away on Oct. 19 at the age of 65.

To my regret, my story on Jerry Hall's World of Imagination was cut from the final version of Weird Arizona due to space concerns. But the story, presented with photos of Jerry's creatures, can be read in its entirety here at the Roadside Resort. ... Continued