The last tree I did was for the city of West Hollywood, a beautiful twisted form about eighteen feet tall. Check it out:
Today, I am moved by the simplicity of palm trees, perhaps because I am surrounded by them in my little urban studio in Playa del Carmen. So I’m going to make a few. This first one is getting there, maybe 2-3 days now work to go.
I love watching these shapes take form. Of course, for coconuts, there will be stones.
Sometimes I have to pinch myself. All it takes is a couple of quick decades of dedicated study and work, and poof! You’re there.
Here it is on a base. These first two will go to cafe Chou Chou, after that, who knows. Making them is interesting enough that I’ll want to do several more. The most important thing to me now is to throw myself fully into the work, without losing perspective.
I made a piece recently about that. It’s about foregoing the frequent mental tangle, and simply taking action.
Art is the only thing that can save us. It is an access to magic: of that I am certain.
Karl Saliter: Sculptor at Large 