David Varnau's sculpture blog

I recently gifted the Edmonds Waterfront Center with an edition of my sculpture, Joie de Vivre. The sculpture was previously sited on Main Street in Edmonds, but it’s location was not ideal. With the donation of the sculpture, the Edmonds Waterfront Center chose to have me install Joie de Vivre on a rock plinth with the figure facing the water. It’s a perfect location for an image of a little perched on a rock with her arms outstretched and the breeze blowing through her hair and skirt.

The sculpture was dedicated on Aptil 25 with about fifty people in attendance. At the dedication, my granddaughter, Abby, who was the inspiration for the sculpture, was present.  She was 4 years old when I sculpted her and she is now 13.  During my comments, I related how, at the time that I was sculpting the piece, Abby was living up on Lopez Island and would come down periodically with her family for visits.  On those occasions, I would have her come into my studio and pose for me.  As a 4 year old though, she could only briefly stand still for the pose–even with bribes of ice cream.  Soon, she would have to leave for their return to the island.  As the clay sculpture neared completion, I asked Abby what she thought of it. She replied, “It doesn’t look like me, Papa.”  I shrugged and had to agree that there were some changes that I should make.  Having made the changes, I would then ask her what she thought of it. Again, she replied, “it doesn’t look like me”.  On several more return visits, her verdict was the same.  I finally said, “Abby, I think it looks like you and I am going to take it to the foundry to have it cast in bronze.  Her reply was, “Well, it still doesn’t look like me!”  After the sculpture was cast in bronze, I brought it home.  On Abby’s next visit, she took a look at the sculpture and exclaimed, “Papa, it looks like me!”  I was puzzled and said to her, “Abby, this bronze is identical to the clay original.  Why does it suddenly look like you?”  She replied, “because it’s shiny!”  

Abby still possesses that sunny disposition. Her spirited nature is infectious and that is what I endeavored to depict in the sculpture.  The result is an image of a child filled with joy that invites us to experience that joy ourselves.

I have just completed a sculpture that is a departure from others that I have created in these past twenty five years.  This one, titled Boundless, has a abstract/conceptual aspect to it while, a the same time, being classical in its rendering.

Boundless is the artwork’s current working title and is the first sculpture title for which I have used ChatGPT to arrive at a name. The sculpture depicts a female figure lunging forward. Though, at first glance, appearing to be limited by the confines of the circle, she upon closer examination is leaping beyond its boundaries.

The Edmonds Art Studio Tour is this weekend. The free, self-guided tour is offered once a year as an opportunity to visit the private studios of local artists in the Edmonds area. This community event offers you a chance to purchase artwork, see new art being created, or just visit and ask questions of the artists. Check out the studio tour MAP. There are 39 artists represented in 19 Edmonds studios featuring many art forms. You will find my sculpture studio on the MAP. It’s #10. https://drive.google.com/file/d/132xM7FQBJKpnwlv_HYvsKbpWqYEqJVgD/view

Pictured below is one of three new original sculptures that will be on display in my studio. This one is titled Dude!

Wow! captures a sense of astonishment, the moments in our lives when we are filled with awe and amazement.

ALONE is an homage to my spouse, Donna, who died earlier this year.The sculpture evokes the journey to the other shore that the dying person embarks on as well as the aloneness of the surviving spouse.

Joie de Vivre is a sculpture that I created of my 4 year old granddaughter. It depicts the joy of a little girl, standing on her tiptoes with her arms outstretched, inviting us to find joy in our own lives. It is an image that has resonated with many people who have encountered her. For that reason, a number of editions of Joie de Vivre have been cast and installed in various locations in the Puget Sound region and as far away as Montana. Recently, however, two have disappeared.

https://www.q13fox.com/news/bronze-statue-cut-down-at-the-ankles-stolen

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Thieves would only be able to sell the sculptures for scrap metal, which would only fetch $300, at most. Whereas, each sculpture was worth well over $10,000.
It is unclear if the two incidents are connected. Future editions of the statue will be reinforced to avoid a similar fate. Fortunately, a few more editions can be made; since the sculpture edition limit is 25, meaning I can still cast a few more and replace them. 

The “NùD: art of the figure” show opens this Saturday with an Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony 7-8:30pm. Admission is free-bring a friend. The figurative art show features art of 75 artists from around the country. Paintings, drawings and sculpture that celebrate the beauty, wonder and expressiveness of the human form. Don’t miss it! It will be held in gallery of the new Graphite Arts Center in Edmonds, WA. As juror and curator of the show, I can attest to the mastery and variety of the artwork. Come and be prepared to be inspired.
#graphite_edmonds
#artstartnorthwest
#graphitenud

This year, the Edmonds Art Studio Tour is Saturday, September 17, and Sunday, September 18, from 10am-5pm. The free, self-guided Edmonds Art Studio Tour is offered once a year as an opportunity to visit the private studios of local artists in the Edmonds area. This community event offers you a chance to purchase artwork, see new art being created, or just visit and ask questions of the artists. Check out the studio tour MAP. There are 41 artists represented in 23 studios featuring many art forms. You will find my sculpture studio on the MAP. It’s #11.

Besides completed sculptures, you will see some of my unfinished sculptures that are still being created. Among them is my current project on display in my studio. Its working title is Wow!

My sculpture, Into the Unknown is featured on the front of the brochure for the Edmonds Studio Tour, which is this weekend.

Check out the studio tour MAP. There are 35 artists represented in 21 studios featuring many art forms. You will find my sculpture studio on the MAP. It’s #11. https://e65c8f70-3214-437b-90ea-cea0a5f508cb.filesusr.com…. The free, self-guided Edmonds Art Studio Tour is offered once a year as an opportunity to visit the private studios of local artists in the Edmonds area. This community event offers you a chance to purchase artwork, see new art being created, or just visit and ask questions of the artists. If you are in town this weekend, don’t miss the tour!

Among the sculptures on display in my studio during this year’s Edmonds Art Studio Tour will be my newest, titled Emerging. If you are in town, I hope you stop by so that I can share it with you.#Edmonds#edmondsstudiotour#sculpture#figurativesculpture#bronzesculpture

The Schack Art Center’s Juried Art Show recently awarded First Place to my sculpture, Into the Unknown. View this award winning sculpture at Cole Gallery in Edmonds, WA.

Watch for my announcement that Emerging has been cast. You then will be able to view her in bronze!

In the Moment

The second of my two newly completed sculptures, In the Moment, conjures a moment in time that perhaps many of us have actually experienced recently.  During this pandemic, many have felt isolated and yearning for some diversions to pass the time.  However, we have been forced to become more introspective and pensive as the days have passed.  As a result, we perhaps may be discovering some degree of peace in the midst of these unsettled times.

The sculpture is an image of a young girl who sits, musing, lost in reverie, she tunes out all else.   In the simplicity of the moment, all is well in her serene world.