The decision whether to paint their tikis was left up to each student.
In fact, for the end of the quarter art reflection, most of them selected the soap carved tikis as their favorite project.
Caption: Handouts with images of typical tiki foreheads, eyebrows, eyes, noses and mouths helped students desiqn their tikis.
Caption: Clay carving tools were used to create the tikis.
Caption: Tikis were a fun subject for a first attempt at subtractive sculpture.
Caption: Some of the students chose to paint their tikis with bright acrylics.
Today's tiki art, in contrast, is more self-aware, cynical and ironic.
A lot of today's tiki art came out of hot-rod designs, but the icon of the tiki symbolizes the whole 20th century," he said.
Nason recently curated a tiki art show at the Hollywood, Fla., Art Center that generated broad interest.
But it was the GIs returning from the South Pacific, where they had been the conquering heroes, who helped spur Americas first big love affair with tiki.
Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdal published his own bestseller, Kon Tiki, the tale of his voyage to prove that Polynesians migrated from South America to the South Pacific.
Located at 2225 South Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach, Florida, the Best Western Aku
Tiki Inn is in close proximity to signature attractions including the Daytona International Speedway, the Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS), the historic Daytona Beach Bandshell, and the Tanger Outlets.