Lava Island
Overview of Lava Island.
The canoe for one of the Lava Island inhabitants.
The people of Lava Island. Many are naked and have pronounced tan lines.
Said inhabitants enjoy snorkeling in the nearby coral reef.
A catamaran rests in the same coral reef.
Al holds his creation before mailing it to New York.
This sculpture was a commission by a gentleman who lives on the Big Island of Hawaii. All he asked for was a palm tree, and the rest was up to Al. What he got was nine palm trees on an island with four nude people, two boats, 120 fish, a camp complete with a tent, a cooler and propane stove and a fire pit with firewood and an ax in a chopping block.
The palm trees frond are made of “sheep skin” (vellum), the trunk is wire covered with marble dust in a “Secret sauce.” The people and fish are also made of marble dust in that same sauce.
The “water” is epoxy casting resin poured in 11 layers, a layer poured every 12 hours over the period of almost a week.
The housing is a acrylic tube, 10" in diameter by 16" long, closed up at both ends.
The feet are made of koa wood, only grown on the Big Island of Hawaii and have 18 coats of tung oil.
This project took 537 hours to complete, not including research, tests or development. It was started 11/6/07 and completed 4/28/08.