In 1982, as a teenager about to graduate high school, James Liles had no interest at all in art.
Nearly 40 years later Liles’ front yard has been completely covered with his abstract tree sculptures.
The son of Ida Liles, nurse, ordained minister and artist, Liles remembers when his mom would spend her days drawing and making art at her desk.
“I wouldn’t even peek over her shoulder to see what she was doing,” said Liles. “I’d rather be hanging out with my friends.”
It wasn’t until the passing of his mother two years ago that Liles began to understand his mother’s interest in art.
“She said she was going to leave me something,” said Liles, who first thought his mother meant something physical. “Her inheritance to me was her passion for art.”
By combining his skills for finding materials in unique spaces and melting metals, Liles found a new interest for art. He realized the uniqueness of his work after noticing there weren’t similar examples online.
Liles said his art has given him something to do, and he’s been able to grieve his mother in his own way.
“I swear I felt her all around me and this thing just started to manifest,” he said. “Then all of a sudden, people start showing interest and my art just started taking off on its own.”
Liles started making metal bonsai trees before his first abstract tree sculpture was created by complete accident.
“I was melting down copper and brass when I spilled some on the concrete and it fell on a branch,” said Liles. “I thought to myself, ‘Hey, that looks cool and different.”
Liles said his ultimate goals with his art, is to “have fun and inspire others.” The reason he put his work on his front lawn was because he “wanted feedback” from the public.
Liles said he gave his neighbors and visitors who’ve stopped by a piece to take home for free — though people have donated materials or money to help him with his creations.
“It’s really inspired me,” Liles said. “People started stopping and next thing you know someone is handing you 80 bucks for your work.”
Although Liles was able to ensure some of his neighbors were okay with his yard exhibition, the City of Deltona was not.
“I got a citation from the city and had to put everything away. Now, I’m basically giving the sculptures away to anyone who wants them,” said Liles, who has 20 sculptures he’d like to donate.
After suffering a stroke, Liles momentarily died three years ago. That experience now inspires his daily life.
“There’s this drive to hurry up and do things,” Liles said. “I’m constantly moving. We all know how our story ends anyway. That motivates me to say, ‘get up and be all you can be.’”
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