Simi Dabah Sculpture Foundation
Forged in Steel. Rooted in Community.
Preserving a Legacy.
For over half a century, Simi Dabah welded salvaged steel into more than 2,000 sculptures. Over 350 of them stand today across 8.5 acres of the high desert in Joshua Tree.
![1188](https://simidabahsculptures.com/wp-content/gallery/8-10-sculptures/1188.jpg "11888\'8\\" h x 8\\" w x 5\' d")
![1339](https://simidabahsculptures.com/wp-content/gallery/8-10-sculptures/1339.jpg "13398\'8\\" h x 44\\" w x 21\\" d")
![1970-01-01](https://simidabahsculptures.com/wp-content/gallery/8-10-sculptures/1970-01-01.jpg "1970-01-018\'4\\" h x 7\'8\\" w x 3\'2\\" d")
![1996-04-09](https://simidabahsculptures.com/wp-content/gallery/8-10-sculptures/1996-04-09.jpg "1996-04-098\'9\\" h x 37\\" d")
![2009-07-22](https://simidabahsculptures.com/wp-content/gallery/8-10-sculptures/2009-07-22.jpg "2009-07-229\'6\\" h x 6\'8\\" w x 8\\" d444 lbs")
![2012-04-12](https://simidabahsculptures.com/wp-content/gallery/8-10-sculptures/2012-04-12.jpg "2012-04-129\'2\\" h x 11\' w x 12\\" d x 40\\" base1,000 lbs")
![1179](https://simidabahsculptures.com/wp-content/gallery/8-10-sculptures/1179.jpg "1179
8\'4\\"h x 3\'4\\"w x 3\'2\\"d")
![2013-08-21](https://simidabahsculptures.com/wp-content/gallery/8-10-sculptures/2013-08-21.jpg "2013-08-21
8\'h x 18\\"w x 18\\"d x 24\\" base
185 lbs")
![2014-07-03](https://simidabahsculptures.com/wp-content/gallery/8-10-sculptures/2014-07-03-img_0931.jpg "2014-07-03
8\'7\\"h x 6\'3\\"w x 6\\"d x 12\\"x24\\" base
260 lbs")
2,000+
sculptures created since the 1960s
350+
works in the garden, across 8.5 acres
$250K
given to local nonprofits
70+
sculptures donated to colleges, parks and cities
Our Mission
Founded in 2015 by Simi and Julie Dabah, the Foundation donates sculptures to public and nonprofit organizations for permanent display.
Sculpture sales fund nonprofits across the Morongo Basin and Coachella Valley.
Public before private: art the community can walk up to, and a legacy that keeps working for the high desert.
Download the Catalog
Available works, from pedestal pieces to installations over 30 feet tall. Updated quarterly. Last updated January 2026, so the newest placements may not appear yet.
Take the Art Tour
Walk among 350+ sculptures across 8.5 acres of desert. Visit on open days, or book a time that works for you.
Visit the Garden
Over 350 sculptures, from pedestal pieces to 32-foot installations. The works are abstract and left intentionally unfinished, so each develops its own warm patina over time.
Hours
- September 1 – May 31: Saturdays, 9am – 4pm
- October: Saturdays and Sundays, 9am – 4pm
- June 1 – August 31: by appointment only
Buying or requesting a sculpture
All sculptures are for sale, and credit cards are accepted. Public and nonprofit organizations can also request a sculpture as a donation. Call or text Larry Bowden at 760-501-1718.
Before you go
Text Larry at 760-501-1718 to confirm the garden is open. Now and then an emergency keeps us away.
Support the Legacy
However you take part, Simi’s work keeps returning value to the high desert.
Institutions
Universities, hospitals, and civic spaces can request a donated sculpture for permanent public display.
Nonprofits
Sculpture sales fund nonprofits across the Morongo Basin and Coachella Valley.
Collectors & Neighbors
Buy a piece for your home or grounds, or simply come walk the garden. Every sale supports local nonprofits.
The Story Behind the Steel
He called it his “hobby.” It became a lifelong purpose.
In the 1960s and ’70s, Simi began welding sculptures in his Los Angeles backyard, lifting scrap metal into place with an overhead crane. Later he brought the work to Joshua Tree in a 16-foot trailer hitched to a 1968 Cadillac.
From the Collection
A glimpse of the works in the garden. Download the catalog for current availability.
Proudly maintaining a legacy of metalwork, mentorship, and local nonprofit support.
Joshua Tree, California · A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit · Federal ID #47-4442020