Add a Little Bit of Beach to Your Life

Wood sculptures by Charlie Knight.
Specializing in tropical birds and fish that capture the power and beauty of the ocean.

Palm Tiki is located in Gulf Breeze, Florida

Palm Tiki Pelican

Pelicans

Pelicans are carved with a chainsaw, then sanded and shaped with a grinder. They are then stained and sealed with polyurethane. A pelican would make the perfect addition to your outdoor patio.

Tikis

Our hand carved wooden tikis are sculpted in a variety of shapes and sizes. Choose from traditional or Hawaiian style. Tikis are treated, sealed, & are perfect for bringing the island life indoors or out.

Commissions

Commissioned work of all sizes and varieties are available. Simply contact me with the details of your request and I will get back to you as soon as possible to give you a quote and work out the details.

A Little Patch of Tiki Paradise

Traveling the Emerald Coast along US-98, you will find 100 continuous miles of some of the whitest sand beaches in the world. You will also find a little patch of tiki paradise.

Palm Tiki, my workshop and store, located between Santa Rosa Sound and Pensacola Bay on US-98, offers a taste of a disappearing life-style, one much less hurried than your own.

If you are in the area, be sure to swing by and look at my work.  My original, one-of-a-kind sculptures resonate with a primal, creative energy that captures the power and beauty of the ocean and the creatures that live in and around it.”

-Charlie Knight

This is the Life

About The Artist

Charlie Knight has had a long-term relationship with the ocean, surf and tiki culture. He began carving wood in the 70s and has been a full time wood sculptor since 1982. The son of a Navy Pilot, Charlie lived in all the great beach towns all over the country.

Most summers of his childhood were spent with his parents and six older sisters in his home town of Pensacola, catching mullet and blue crabs at the Beach when his family was between duty stations.

When his Dad retired they moved back to Pensacola for good and Charlie was became hooked on the surfing life. After high school, he moved around to Hawaii, Costa Rica and Mexico following the big waves, learning Spanish and carving wood.

A self taught artist, Charlie starts with chainsaw and uses tools as small as hand chisels to carve a variety of hard woods into life sized game fish, sea life vignettes, dolphins, water birds, mermaids, and other custom pieces.

Charlie’s exquisite pieces have been commissioned as décor for restaurants and hotels, have brought in tens of thousands of dollars for conservation efforts for the Billfish Foundation, and are in the homes and businesses all around the country.

Charlie always has several of his larger sculptures in progress at his studio located on Highway 98 in Gulf Breeze Florida. He and his wife, Nikki welcome visitors.

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frequently asked questions

Wood Carver

What wood do you use to carve Tikis?

We use fallen palm logs to carve our tikis. We get them primarily from South Florida.

What wood is used to carve the Pelicans?

I use oak and cypress and other wood that people bring me that has fallen.

How should I care for my Tiki and Pelican?

Keep them clean and dry and occasionally they may need a new coat of paint or varnish.

Can you keep the tikis and pelicans outside?

You can keep your tikis and pelicans outside but they will last longer if they are not out in the elements.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I love the birds, fish and animals that live in this neck of the woods. I study them in real life and use books to get the fine details right.

How did you learn wood carving?

I am self-taught. I have known many great carvers in my time and picked up tips here and there and then I have carved and carved and carved.

Contact Us

We're not around right now. But you can send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

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