Jorge Lastra | Sculptural Sailboats & Jewelry
Jorge Lastra: Sailing Dreams in Wood and Metal
Plant Riverside District – Savannah, Georgia
Read C&C article on J.W. Marriott
In the airy galleries of Savannah’s Plant Riverside District, a world of imagination takes shape beneath Jorge Lastra’s hands. His work seems born of salt air and wandering tides, evoking the wild poetry of the sea. To step into his shop is to find yourself surrounded by sculptural sailboats, their weathered hulls and delicate rigging crafted from driftwood, metal, and glass. Each piece feels like a relic from a story yet untold, a vessel set to journey across both water and memory.
The Artist’s Journey
Lastra’s life reads like one of his intricate ships: a voyage that spans continents and artistic traditions. Born in Chile, he spent many years in Barcelona, where the spirit of Gaudí, Dalí, and Miró left its mark on his creative vision. Their bold colors and dreamlike forms ripple through his jewelry and sculptures, lending his work a distinctly Mediterranean rhythm. Eventually, the currents of life brought him to the coastal South, where Savannah’s tides and sun-bleached driftwood now feed his imagination.
Sculptures That Tell Stories
The sculptural sailboats are Lastra’s signature. Each begins as a piece of cedar or driftwood, chosen for its shape and character. The wood’s natural curves suggest a keel or mast, while hand-forged metal and glass elements add detail and light. No two are alike—some echo the grandeur of historic tall ships, others the simplicity of a lone sloop on a quiet bay. They are not merely decorative pieces but symbols of exploration, freedom, and the enduring mystery of the sea.
Jewelry with a Spanish Soul
Lastra’s artistry extends beyond ships to a striking collection of handmade jewelry. Here, the influence of Barcelona is unmistakable. The sinuous lines of Gaudí’s architecture, the surreal whimsy of Dalí, and the playful energy of Miró appear in earrings, pendants, and bracelets. Each piece is a wearable work of art, modern yet timeless, with a touch of European elegance shaped by his years abroad.
Why It Resonates
There’s a romance in Lastra’s work that speaks to wanderers, sailors, and dreamers alike. His boats seem to float on unseen waters, carrying memories of past journeys and whispers of those yet to come. In a world of mass-produced décor, the individuality of each sculpture and the hand-worked detail of every piece of jewelry feel like an antidote—a return to the idea that art can be both personal and enduring.
Where to Find Him
Lastra’s gallery at Plant Riverside District is more than a shop; it’s an invitation to step inside his creative world. Visitors can watch him at work, see new designs take shape, and perhaps even commission a custom piece to reflect their own story. Whether you leave with a sculptural ship or a small piece of jewelry, you’ll carry away a fragment of his vision: the timeless dance between land, sea, and the human spirit.
