earthen yucca o1

33” x 39” | C O M M I S S I O N ‍ | 2 0 2 6

This art piece is a clay foam representation of a Joshua Tree that was inspired by Melinda and Bob Mariano, the couple who commissioned the piece. Their collective curiosity and appreciation for art in the natural world, California’s diverse and colorful tucked-away corners, geologic formations, landscape abstractions, topographic reliefs, textures, and many of its organic materials, drove the concept of this artwork. This couple greatly enjoy traversing the land while exploring their understanding and love for the connection between art and nature. This piece was also inspired by the unique posture, texture, bold silhouette, and symbolism of the Joshua Tree… its resilience, individuality, spiritual connection, and indigenous wisdom. This art piece serves as an abstract sculptural representation of a “petrified” Joshua Tree, one intentionally made from the select bits of organic debris, ground cover, and loose matter collected from the earth in the areas of California beloved by this couple. This piece serves as a personal, custom, Mariano-centric map of California. 

Each clay foam frond is embedded with at least one of the following : wood, sand, soil, seeds, bark, needles, leaves, pods, petals, stems, lichen, grasses, pebbles, minerals, twigs, roots, clay, shells, mica, etc.