DANNY SALZHANDLER, Biosculptor from Encinitas 
by Lisa D. Smith


‘I had a kindergarten teacher who told me not to put brown when I was coloring in a picture of a banana .... she said bananas were yellow, and I told her that there is brown in bananas. I decided she didn’t know what she was talking about ........ it feels like I have been 
an artist ever since then!"

Danny Salzhandler, is a local artist and poet from Encinitas, Southern California, and is the creator of Biosculptures™. Biosculptures™ are sculpted vivariums commissioned in all sizes and designed for the husbandry of plants and animals. As Danny says, "They are environmental consciousness and art all rolled into one."

When Danny was a zoo-keeper, he designed the animal cages to resemble the natural environment to which the animal was accustomed. Being in steel construction for over 15 years before that, he merged the two fields together, creating Biosculptures™. When he was working in the zoological field there was a controversy that terrariums would never go anywhere, unlike aquariums. "People were using aquariums to make terrariums, that’s not how you should do something, " says Danny. 

Using sculpture to create the geometric shapes and lines to simulate nature, Danny is able to give the effect of the environments natural terrain such as slopes - not just a square or rectangular 90 degree shape that is used in aquariums. Taking a good look at his Biosculptures, you will easily recognize how well geometric shape lends itself to creating an environment for animals. Danny also begins an ecosystem within the Biosculpture. In one of his creations he included breeding fish and a frog. The baby fish fed the frog, which in turn controlled the fish population and acted as a food source.

One of Danny’s clients is Mammoth Equity. They commissioned Danny to sculpt the grand steel dolphins that can be viewed at Encinitas Business Park. Sculpting steel sculptures of animals has now prompted Danny into making Biosculptures within the actual animal sculpture!

Danny is also a well known poet in the San Diego area, and is the founder of The Full Moon Poets. He hosts and puts on popular Poetry Slams in Encinitas and in Julian, California. You can find out more about these poetry events by visiting FullMoonPoets.org, and you can check out Danny’s amazing sculptures at the 101 Artist’s Colony in Encinitas, where he is a major part of it’s success. 

You can also visit his website at http://www.Biosculptures.com, where you can simply view his art or even place an order for this revolutionary medium that balances nature and art into simple yet decorative harmony. It takes him only 6-8 weeks to create a medium size sculpture.

You can reach Danny at (760) 944-6027, email: salzhand@speakeasy.net.