David Shultz, Tiki Creator, Brings the Aloha Spirit and Tiki Culture to SoCal

Imagine winding through the maze of neighborhood streets: well-groomed lawns line your path, kids chase each other down the sidewalks, and… Tiki Creator David Shultz wields a chainsaw in his driveway. The sight merits more than the mere “double-take.” Passersby often flip U-turns and park in order to watch Tiki Dave carve. If you’re lucky enough to set foot in his backyard, you’ll enter a true paradise. Tikis surround the pool area, wood starfish hang about, and Moai masks stare playfully at you from underneath the palapas.

A walking stick with smoothed-over tree knots and an elderly man’s face carved beautifully at the tip first caught Dave’s eye. He ventured to carve his own versions, and then expanded his carving exploration to dremel woodcarvings, and later Tikis.

The summer after his second year at Long Beach City College, Dave’s Hungarian gypsy friend posed a simple question: “Want to check out Hawaii?” He packed up and took off with her the following week, flying standby. Dave recalls epic stories from his travels – the sort that wanderlusters long for: traipsing through paradise, surfing local beaches, camping on the sand for weeks without a schedule or timeline, working as needed to prolong the trip. Dave left Hawaii with the Aloha spirit ingrained. Soon after, he discovered chainsaw carving on a trip to Colorado. There, he was shocked by the bears a talented local artist carved using a chainsaw. With the help of the Denver artist, Dave gathered the right equipment and began to use this method of carving to create his Tikis.

Originally, the Tiki gods were protectors. Villagers erected Tikis to ward off evil spirits and protect their people and crops. After World War II, islanders created Tikis to bring the Aloha spirit back again to the mainland. Dave tells me, “Every carving I create has a different meaning. It’s not just about the traditional meaning behind Tikis. I start out with an image in my mind of what I want to carve, but what I end with might be completely different. The wood speaks to me, and my creative direction almost always changes when I’m working on a project. I also love impressing people with Tikis that incorporate a bit of their own vision. Every project is a journey.”

From start to finish, each carving takes Dave approximately 21 hours to complete. Almost every tree he carves is local. Hunting down gardeners isn’t anything out of the ordinary for Dave. But, most of the time, he hears about various trees coming down through word of mouth. (People show up at his doorstep when they hear about a tree that’s going to be cut.) If it’s close enough, Dave will make a trip over to snag the wood.

“My favorite wood to carve is western red cedar. No bugs! I love carving bears from sycamore. Elm is good, too. Fern wood is awfully ugly and rough and twisted. It looks like something you’d want to use to burn, but when you carve it, it ends up looking awesome – it’s like root beer inside.”

Dave’s Offerings: custom carvings, tree art, tree carvings, Tikis and masks (each reflect different cultures of the Pacific Islands), palm frond art, airbrush resin art, paintings, Tiki rentals (for parties and events), and woodcarving workshops (coming soon).

On August 7th, Dave will open his home studio to the public for the California Art Experience, Open Studio Tours. Stop by between the hours of 10 and 5 to get your dose of “Aloha” and indulge in Dave’s Tiki paradise. It’s epic! To preview his work, please visit his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Daves-Paradise-Tikis-122694041087097/ and for more information about the tour or to join as a participating Artist, please visit: http://www.MyArt4Therapy.com/Open-Studio-Tours.

David Shultz, Tiki Creator, Brings the Aloha Spirit and Tiki Culture to SoCal

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