Mural #17

The Sun Rises Mural

This stunning desert landscape featuring a colorfully illuminated pre-dawn sky is a glorious scene depicting a panorama of three stages of sunrise at three historical Easter sunrise services from the 1930s to present in Twentynine, California. "Our Christian community has come together to celebrate the sunrise of Easter morning since 1935," says resident Lois Carrol. Dust trails from early cars on dirt roads and horseback riders converged on Trig Hill for the first Easter Sunrise Service. In 1938, the sunrise service moved to the Twentynine Palms Oasis. The Sunrise pilgrimage later moved to Forty-nine Palms Canyon in 1978.

The 14 foot by 140 foot sunrise mural was designed and painted by artist Richard Wyatt of Los Angeles, California. Wyatt also painted the city's William and Elizabeth Campbell mural (#8) in 1996. The Sun Rises Mural is located on the north facing wall of the historic Little Church of the Desert, 6079 Adobe Road, Twentynine Palms.