Emerald Beacon Touts Solar Energy

SANTA PAULA — Soon after darkness falls, a cool green glow can be seen in the hills above this Ventura County town.

The light is visible for miles along California 126. Theories of its origin have run the gamut from UFO landing site to experimental oil rig.

In fact, it’s an illuminated sculpture, the brainchild of artist Steven A. Simon.

Simon wanted to make sure his 30-foot-tall, 18-inch-wide sculpture was noticed when he set it up three months ago.

Mission accomplished.

“I think it’s beautiful,” said Tony Pawlak, who owns property next to the sculpture. “It glows like an emerald at night.”

Despite Pawlak’s enthusiasm, others in the community think the sculpture, which Simon named “Component,” is an odd object that belongs somewhere else.

Simon believes the sculpture is as natural as it can be, because it absorbs energy from the sun--something he is passionate about.

“I want people to see this and become aware that we can protect our environment by using solar energy instead of fuel,” said Simon, as he stood near his creation one recent evening. “We have so much sunlight in California, why not take advantage of that?”

Simon, who lives in Encino, got the raw materials for the tower three years ago when he discovered a stash of discarded computer circuit boards in a scrap yard.

Intrigued by the translucent panels, Simon resolved to find a use for them.

Six months ago, his friend Chuck McClellan, who owns a ranch in Santa Paula, asked Simon to design a sculpture for a hilltop on his property.

Simon, who had already built a similar sculpture for Moorpark College, decided to use the computer boards to design a much bigger piece.

“When Chuck said a sculpture, the first thing I thought was a solar energy piece,” said Simon, 36.

So, armed with chunks of aluminum, 60 computer boards, lights and wires, Simon built “Component.” He used an old printing press to support the tower, which beams every night from 6:30 to 9:30.

Solar panels charge eight 12-volt batteries during the day. At night, the batteries power six fluorescent lights, illuminating the computer boards and creating a neon-green glimmer.

Although the sculpture has stood like a ribbon on the rugged hill for three months, it continues to draw skeptical responses from some residents.

“When I first saw it, I thought it was a UFO,” said Ramon Urrutia, 33, who has lived in Santa Paula most of his life. “It looked so weird that I thought it had to be from outer space.”

Simon said that before he lit the sculpture, he notified local authorities.

“I didn’t want anyone to be alarmed,” Simon said. “After all, this is not something you see every day.”