Heaven on Earth

The Story

Heaven on Earth began in a completely different direction.

Matt originally started with a face for another figure intended as a companion to Bulletproof. As the build developed, he saw something else in the form and changed direction. The figure became a tree, and the Piece continued to grow from there.

The finished sculpture combines the tree form with a detailed house built into the branches, including stairs, railings, windows, a deck, and small architectural details throughout. Matt described the Piece as beautiful and peaceful, and deliberately left people out of the scene so viewers could imagine themselves there.

The leaves are individually cut from scrap sheet metal in different sizes and textures, while the structure incorporates welded steel, motorcycle spokes, gears, pipe, tubing, and other mechanical components.

Heaven on Earth was completed in late summer 2026 and is available to view in Oceanside, California, by appointment.

Completed

2026 — Late Summer

Dimensions

50" H × 55" W × 55" D

Materials

Welded salvaged steel, sheet metal, motorcycle spokes, gears and found mechanical components

Where

The Oceanside GalleryBy Appointment

The Work

The Making

Matt is in the final stretch of a tree sculpture that did not begin as a tree at all.

It started with a face.

“I was actually gonna build a person to go with the other guy I just finished, Bulletproof. I was gonna build, like, a little companion. And I built this face, and I was like, you know what? Like, that would look really fucking cool if it was, like, a tree.”

So he changed direction.

“It's just what I saw in my head. I was like, that would just look really beautiful. It would look awesome. So I did it. I just did it.”

Today he is working through the base, bark, and final details. The bottom has changed significantly as the Piece has developed, and there is still detail work around the house built into the tree. He is also considering adding lights.

The repetitive bark work has been the most demanding part.

“The hardest part of it is the monotony of the repetitive action of doing all the bark.”

The leaves are the part he likes most.

They are cut individually from scrap sheet metal in one-inch and one-and-a-half-inch squares, using different textures and perforations across the canopy.

“It’s the more abstract of it. That it’s totally- they don’t look like leaves, but once you put them all together, it looks better than leaves to me.”

Matt expects the Piece to be finished within the next couple of days.

The Words

Matt has not settled on a name yet.

“Heaven on Earth” came up. So did “Tree of Hope.”

What he does know is how the Piece feels to him.

“To me it just means beauty, man. It’s just beautiful. Like when I look at it, I just see beauty. I’m like, man, it’s just a beautiful art piece.”

There are no people in the treehouse scene, and that was deliberate.

“I didn’t put any people in it, because of the fact, if I put people in it, then I take away from whatever the person imagines when they look at it.”

Standing back from it, Matt said:

“I see a beautiful vacation home.”

A moment later, talking about the treehouse setting, he added:

“Yeah, dope-ass Airbnb, like out in Africa somewhere. That’d be rad.”

Visit

The gallery sits in a working industrial park — a warm room in the middle of the grinders and the sparks. It's an honest place to meet a piece of art. Come by when it's quiet. Bring somebody. Touch the metal. See if it's saying anything to you. Visits are by appointment. Reach out and Nikki will set a time.