Story about Ed in new book Extraordinay Interpretations, Florida's Self Taught Artist (University Press Florida)

Extra-Floridinary

Continued from page 30

Ed Volonnino

1958, Melbourne

Ed Volonnino professed to have a "consciousness of trees." In order to carve his heads, he has to know all about the sabal palms that he uses for his work. Volonnino has been an independent artist since 1981, selling tiki heads along the area's roadsides. His creations are secular. He doesn't mind, however, if a buyer prays to one of his tikis ...
the commercialistic consumption boosts his sales.

Photos by Gary Monroe