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Gino Salerno
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
| August 5, 2002--Remember all those wooden statues that artist Gino Salerno made that used to be all over town in public parks? We don't see that many anymore and I wondered what the artist is up to now. I found him in his garage. |  | "I really don't know why I do this except I get a lot of compliments from people." For fifteen years Gino Salerno has been a work in progress. "This is how people got to know me. This is how I learned by first techniques." You used to see his sculptures in Wichita parks - but no more. "Actually I would like to do more sculptures throughout the city but there is no guarantee that it's going to last for more than a few weeks or a month. A lot of those I made in the city are gone because of a combination of factors. Vandalism is one of those factors. "If you see your work being destroyed, you just don't do it." Even though his public works are gone he saved them in a book that he has self-published called "A Day in the Park". He adds that now his art isn't going to be so public. "Instead of doing it somewhere it isn't going to last I try to work for businesses or backyards or people's homes. |
 | Gino is a renaissance man. He's been a teacher, librarian, musician, sculpture, and a mask collector. "Well, I concentrate on the figure and I'm attracted to the human face and these masks. Most of the masks are based on the features of humans." |
| But he can't escape his past. In front of his home are some of his favorite sculptures he's saved from vandals - Dorothy, The Cowardly Lion, The Tin Man and the Scarecrow from the "Wizard of Oz." |  | "Like old friends these pieces I made several years ago and still people remember them and sometimes they'll stop by the house and say 'isn't that the lady that used to be on McLean Boulevard?' People remember."
People do remember and Gino continues his work. Every Saturday he goes back to his sculpting in his garage where wood and artist meld. Gino is one of those creative guys who continues to surprise everyone. In addition to all his other interests, he his currently working as a physician's assistant at the Hunter Health Clinic - sculpting hands, healing hands..
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Gino Salerno lives in Wichita, Kansas and continues his sculpting along with a wide range of other interests. His book is available at many Wichita bookstores. |
| | Have a story idea for Hatteberg's People? Send Larry an email with the details. |
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