-- November 13, 2020 --

This Is A Junk Post

They say, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." In this entry, it's another man's castle.
Howard Solomon grew up in Rochester, NY, as the son of Russian immigrants. Tired of the cold, he moved down to the Bahamas, and began work as a cabinet maker. Then, in 1972, he bought 40 acres in the swamps of Ona, FL, and asked his neighbors to dump their large unwanted junk items in his yard. Being skilled in a number of trades, including welding, carpentry, electrical, and plumbing, he used everything they gave him to make art. After some time, he began to build a freaking castle, which he covered in discarded aluminum printing plates, and added over 80 stained glass windows he made himself. Then, he constructed a full-sized 16th century Spanish galleon within one of the ponds (complete with masts, and cannons), followed by a half-sized replica of the Alamo, and finally a lighthouse - all the while still working on his art.
Solomon’s Castle now sits on 93 acres, and even has a restaurant on the premises (inside the ship), as there isn't a place to eat for miles. It's an amazing place to visit for tourists and locals alike, so I dropped by last month.
I’m sad they don’t allow photography during the indoor tours, because his 200+ pieces of art are out of this world. Their website showcases his ironwork (see that here), but his replicas of famous paintings made using only wood were pretty astounding. Speaking of the tour: before Solomon's death in 2016, he wrote a script each guide sticks to. It is packed with puns, and made the whole experience as corny, as it is surreal.
Howard was a true outsider artist that needs to be known by more people, and I hope this post helps spread his name a bit.

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