San Antonio’s Southside is home to a very special community of creators, hard workers, and people that inspire–many of which own small businesses in and around the Southside. The Southside Makers and Shakers blog series showcases these unique businesses and their owners. Each addition to the series offers new insight into the community and the gente that make the Southside so unique.
Wanderlust Ironworks Founders, Simon and Autumn Saleh
Tell us about yourselves and your business.
We’re Simon and Autumn Saleh, the husband-and-wife team behind Wanderlust Ironworks. We’ve been working as artists for years, creating everything from large-scale sculptures to custom metalwork. Public art has always been a passion of ours, and we love collaborating with organizations and artists to bring unique ideas to life. We spend a lot of time on the Southside, supporting small businesses and drawing inspiration from the energy of the community.
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- Final Flower sculpture by Wanderlust Ironworks
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- Celestial Conversation sculpture by Wanderlust Ironworks
How did Wanderlust Ironworks get started?
We officially launched Wanderlust Ironworks in 2015, but our journey started long before that. One of our first major projects was a public art installation for McAllister Park—a series of oversized metal flowers with bicycle gears incorporated into the design. That project sparked our love for large-scale public art and gave us the chance to explore how art can enhance a space. Over the years, we’ve continued learning, collaborating, and pushing ourselves creatively, and we’re proud of the work we get to do in San Antonio.
What makes the Southside special to you?
There’s something about the Southside that just feels like home. The people, the culture, the way the community embraces creativity—it’s incredible. We spend a lot of time here, not just for work but because we genuinely love it. The support for local artists and businesses is strong, and we’re honored to contribute to that energy with our work.
What’s your favorite part about working on the Southside?
The Southside is unmatched. The history, the culture, the sense of community—it all comes together in a way that makes it a really special place to create. Seeing our work become part of the landscape here, especially with a project like VIDA, is something we’re really proud of. We love that our art can help add to the vibrancy of the area.
“It Takes All Kinds” sculpture by Wanderlust Ironworks at Wise de Valdez Park
What inspired your sculpture, ‘It Takes All Kinds,’ at VIDA San Antonio?
We moved to San Antonio in 2010 and were immediately drawn to the strong sense of community and the spirit of the people here. When the opportunity to create a sculpture at VIDA came up, we couldn’t pass it up.
‘It Takes All Kinds’ is all about diversity, joy, and togetherness. The sculpture stands 11 feet tall and 14 feet wide, made from rolled steel pipes we salvaged from a Houston shipyard. We painted it in bright, bold colors—orange, yellow, teal, purple, and green—to represent the vibrancy of San Antonio’s neighborhoods. Our goal was to create something playful that sparks nostalgia and joy in both kids and adults. At its core, the piece is a reminder that every person, every story, adds something valuable to the community.
How can people find your work?
You can see our work all around San Antonio, from public art installations to custom projects. If you want to connect with us or see more of what we do, you can find us online here:
Instagram: @wanderlust_ironworks
Facebook: @wanderlustironworks
Website: www.wanderlustironworks.com