Artist Spotlight - Nichole Sharpe

SN: Who are you?

NS: My name is Nichole Sharpe I’m a dreamer, an observer, a questioner, a problem solver and an artist.  I live in West Seattle and work in my recently completed home studio.

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Artist Spotlight - Gerda Lattey

ED: Gerda first showed up on our radar when she attended the Hand Carving Retreat at Pack Forest this spring. She then came to the summer workshop at Camp Brotherhood and is now a bona fide ‘Nwissa’ Stoner. Her energy seems boundless and her sculptures are intriguingly beautiful.

SN: Who are you?

GL: I'm Gerda Corona Lattey and I was born in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada . I am currently living on Saltspring Island about 25 miles north of Victoria, Vancouver Island.

SN: What is your life history as it relates to being an artist?

GL: I began my life in BC’s Okanogan Valley. My parents tried the dysfunctional hippie thing for a while, with no running water or electricity in a tiny community. Because I was raised with no television or obvious trappings I may have developed unique observation skills.

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Artist Spotlight - Pete Welty July/Aug 2007

This interview was conducted by Verena Schwippert on Orcas Island at Pete’s home and studio. There is art, almost all made by him, everywhere. The house was built by Pete for his family. The yard, several acres of it, is full of many large sculptures. Some metal, some stone, some a combination of both. The creativity, amount of work and workmanship of the art was mind-boggling to the interviewer. There is also a huge studio for inside work on metal and stone, with a great number of wonderful machines. The interview took place like a relaxed chat amongst friends.

Verena: Please introduce yourself.

Pete: My name is Pete Welty, I live on Orcas Island, and I have been a welder for 42 years. I made my first sculpture when I was 6 years old, it was a bear made out of clay. I have made sculpture ever since. I carved birds out of wood as a young teenager. I have been a welder most of my life but have always dabbled in art on the side.

The overriding motivation was always the feeling to have to create; like a little extra motor that purrs on the side. Not caring about the trappings, it just needs to be greased and oiled and listened to….

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Artist Spotlight - Candyce Garrett

SN: Who are you?

CG: My name is Candyce Garrett and I am a granite sculptor from Galisteo, New Mexico who has had the privilege to instruct at both Camp brotherhood and Silver Falls.

SN: What life experiences affected your direction in art?

CG: My first time in the Northwest was a trip to Camp B in l996. Up till then, I had been carving figurative pieces in marble and limestone. Since then my work has transformed into monumental abstracts in granite.

Artist Spotlight - Pete Pere

SN: What experiences influenced your interest in sculpture?

PP: My parents, wife and children are artists. I have always admired classical drawing, painting and sculpture. That passion motivated travel to Western Europe to see first hand the works of Michelangelo, Raphael, da Vinci and Rodin. Their work is all about the power of emotions and expression of ‘soul.’ I was once so inspired in Florence that I was threatened with expulsion from a museum if I did not stop touching the sculptures. I did not stop but I learned to be more covert in my tactical exploits.

During this early period, I sculpted ‘Head of Youth,’ ‘The English Professor’ and ‘Charity.’

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Artist Spotlight - Maureen Hope Wall

Editor: Maureen has recently joined NWSSA. You may have met her at Camp B last year, or read her Nov/Dec 2006 Sculpture NorthWest article about the carving she did in Italy. Here is a little more about Maureen; her life and work in Port Angeles.

SN: Who are you?

MHW: I am Maureen Hope Wall; I am an artist.

SN: What is your life history as it relates to being an artist?

MHW: I first found sculpture when I was a kid and we came to the Pacific Northwest for our summers. I would play with the drift wood on our beach, making sculptures out of what I saw. Even though I had been drawing and painting by that time in my life, I knew that sculpture was more exciting and engaging.