Last month’s PNWS studio gathering was a very special affair. One of the Northwest’s premier bronze sculptors, who was sculpting before many of us were born, hosted our group at he and his wife Jane’s wonderous acreage in the hills above Battleground. A break in the rainy weather allowed members to walk about and view the many bronzes spread across the grounds and visit the gallery that houses a magnificent collection of work created over 60 years. James was a pioneer sculptor in this area when he started out and having no foundry to fabricate his creations, he built his own. He developed new methods for doing lost wax processes and worked as both artist and art educator to keep pursuing his passion for the sculpted form.
We gathered in the back room of his lofty barn-like studio for a lengthy interview led by Leslie Christ that was inspiring and insightful. James, a centurion, is quick to recall great stories of his past art adventures and Leslie got him sharing philosophy, anecdotes, and some very humorous stories. As I looked about the room, I could discern that every member present could see themselves as the next chapter in the long story of exploration that has called us to respond to that inner voice that asks us to create.
A special thanks to Jane Hansen who was so gracious in inviting us into James’s world. The interview was recorded by Bob Deasy and is available on the PNWS Youtube channel.
The trailer for the meeting is here: Trailer for James Lee Hansen Interview
The full meeting recording is here: James Lee Hansen Interview with PNWS
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