Imagine seeing a face, body, or animal in a piece of wood every time you take a good look at it. It is a common occurrence in the artful world of Santa Rosa Beach artist Joe Elmore. Sizing up the wood, cranking up the chainsaw and producing a work of art in minutes is just one of Elmore’s many creative talents.
Growing up in the oil and farming town of Taft, California Elmore knew from a young age he wanted to be an artist. However, not much was spoken about art in the family that worked 28,000 acres of farmland. His parents didn’t understand the concept.
Moving on, Elmore joined the Navy, became a butcher, bar owner and even owned a flooring business. Then one day, while cutting down a sycamore tree in his father’s yard, Elmore saw something more in one of the fallen branches; he found the key to his future.
“I was cutting up the tree for firewood and saw a face in the wood,” Elmore said.
The rest is history, and for more than 40 years, Elmore has been making a living selling his chain saw sculptures, stone sculptures and paintings.
After traveling across the U.S. selling his work, Elmore settled down in Santa Rosa Beach in the late 1980s, and moved to his current location in the mid 90s. The gallery is chock full of beautiful creations of nature scenes, fish, animals and a variety of other subjects.
Elmore’s Landing gallery is open Tuesdays – Sunday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. It is located at 24728 Hwy. 331 South, Santa Rosa Beach, FL, 32459
Tel: (850) 685-8206
Find him on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/joee.elmore