SunRay Kelley Obituary: Master Builder of the Counterculture, Dies at 71

SunRay Kelley, the famed barefoot renegade builder whose imaginative handmade masterpieces challenged traditional architectural typologies, died on July 16 in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, at the age of 71. SunRay’s longtime partner, Bonnie Howard, claimed that he had been battling cancer and died as a result of a blood clot caused by a recent procedure.

SunRay Kelley was a well-known figure in the unarchitected, alternative, and vernacular construction communities. His craftsmanship, environmentally friendly features, and use of natural materials were in keeping with the hippie mentality of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Although the movement fell out of favor during the Reagan administration, it has made a surprising comeback in recent decades, attracting the interest of ecologically conscious folks and back-to-the-landers.

SunRay’s whimsical inventions have graced websites, blogs, and television shows dedicated to eco-friendly living, earning him the distinction of go-to guru for dream yurts, tree houses, and spiritual centers seeking a magical touch. He was also a popular speaker at natural-building conventions.

SunRay Kelley was regarded as unmatched by Lloyd Kahn, who chronicled handmade habitats through Shelter Publications, for blending ecology, architecture, and craftsmanship to create magnificent dwellings across the American terrain. Kelley’s work featured undulating peaked roofs, green roofs planted with sedum and moss, cupolas, and turrets, and he credited his inspiration to Mother Nature herself.

SunRay, a master of cob, created sculptures out of mud, sand, and straw, often including scavenged materials such as unmilled windfall trees, gnarled limbs, boulders, and stones. His favorite haunt was the Pacific Northwest, where he referred to the woods as “God’s hardware store.”

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SunRay built over 70 structures during his career, the majority of which were in North America, with a few in Central America. SunRay Castle, his nine-acre property hidden in the Cascade Mountains foothills, was his greatest achievement. The shire was home to the towering “Sky House,” the quirky “Earth House,” and a collection of yurts, notably the Yogurt, a one-of-a-kind pink cob yurt covered with mica and sculpted figures reflecting the female body.

SunRay Kelley’s legacy continues to inspire and delight alternative-building enthusiasts who visit SunRay shire, a hippie Taliesin that bears witness to his profound connection with nature and skilled craftsmanship. As the world mourns the death of this visionary architect, his artistic achievements will serve as a constant reminder of the beauty and potential that exist in the globe.

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