John Soderberg • Merlin

The inspiration behind my sculpture of Merlin (created 1994) stemmed from various aspects of my life. One influential factor was my father’s covert missionary work in Afghanistan, which led to extensive travels during my early years. These journeys exposed me to different cultures, including visits to Rome and other sites renowned for their fine art. These encounters ignited my passion for becoming an artist, prompting me to start painting with oils upon returning to New Delhi from one of our trips.

Our nomadic lifestyle continued as we relocated to Thailand and spent eight years there. During this time, I had the opportunity to revisit Rome and once again witness the profound impact of Michelangelo’s Moses sculpture, which deeply moved me at the more mature age of nine.

A chance encounter while strolling along a Hawaiian beach further fueled my desire to become a sculptor. At an arts and crafts fair, I stumbled upon a remarkable sculpture of an elderly, bearded man standing behind a chair. Carved from a single tree trunk, this masterpiece rekindled my aspiration to create something equally evocative.

The amalgamation of Michelangelo’s Moses, the carved figure on the beach, my time in England, and the tales of Merlin gradually coalesced over the course of 35 years, culminating in the birth of my own rendition of Merlin.

10′ Merlin monument in Sedona, AZ