Ancient Materials Modern Designs
Dan and Lee's paths crossed in 1972 as students at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Subsequently a collaboration began that continues to this day. They work side by side from initial design to the finished sculpture. Their work ranges from small hand held clay pieces to large scale commissions carved out of granite.
Moving to Hovland, Minnesota on the shore of Lake Superior in 1991 had a dramatic impact on their work. New forms and shapes evolved after they observed tumultous storms and shifting ice sheets rearrange their boulder strewn shoreline.
On any given day Dan and Lee can be found:
-sketching out ideas
-rolling out slabs of stoneware clay
-loading their gas kiln and firing to 2400 f.
-carving basalt or granite using chisels, diamond saws and grinders
-inlaying a ceramic tile in stone
The stone and ceramic sculptures they create are suitable for outdoor installations, even weathering the extreme conditions found in Minnesota.
"People often ask us, Where do you get your ideas? What influences you?" Our travels to Japan, Africa and South America have had an impact, but many times it is just going for a walk. Seeing something that excites our curiosity. It can be as simple as turning over a small stone on the beach or launching our canoe on Lake Superior and peering through the surface watching giant boulders and crevasses appear and disappear as we paddle along."