President’s Message – June 2026

Quick note about three opportunities:

1. REGISTRATION is REQUIRED for the Camping/Making event next weekend. Only those who have registered and signed the waiver will receive the location address.

2. Vancouver Art & Music Festival demo artist opportunity, August 8-9. Contact Nat Partna to sign up.

3. Art in the Pearl demo artist opportunity, Sept. 5-7. Contact Nat Partna to sign up.

Go ahead and sign up now. Take your time – this article will wait for you. 

All set? Okay, then I’ll get on with it.

I’ve been thinking a bit about legacy lately. We had a special thing happen last month. You may recall Bill Leigh’s family and good friend Amy liquidated Bill’s studio in preparation for selling his house. (For those who are new, Bill was our treasurer; he passed away unexpectedly last year – a great loss to our community.) At the eleventh hour, one of our members reached out and said he’d like to make a donation so students / emerging artists could buy tools at the sale.

Long story short – we made it happen. Other sculptors who had been receiving this newsletter heard about the sale and decided to join PNWS – partly to gain early access to the sale but I’d like to think also so they could become part of this organization. (Welcome!)

At the same time, Andy Kennedy has been working to connect the Mount Hood Community College Sculpture Club with Jim Stewart. Jim is (I don’t think he’d mind me saying) an older member with expertise in bronze casting. He’s been looking for ways to pass along his extensive knowledge of traditional Japanese bell casting techniques.

I don’t know if that will work out or not, but I’m so happy we’re putting people in touch with one another. And while I still miss hearing Bill’s voice at our board meetings, I treasure the thought of his things in the hands of new artists. The anvils he hammered on endlessly, the welding equipment, the special pieces of metal he salvaged – all cascading onwards through time.

Because time IS fleeting. At Betsy Power’s studio last month we were reminded that each moment IS an opportunity. The ceramic tentacle on her studio wall encourages us to reach out and grab hold. To explore and keep moving.

I encourage artists of all ages to look around at our next Sculpture Conversation (Zoom; 2nd Wednesday each month) or member meeting. Be brave. Ask for help. Talk about what you need. Talk about what you have to offer. If you are moved to make bequests, we can help you find recipients.

Sculpture is an interesting beast. It requires us to look at things from all sides. To circle around, shifting viewpoints and choosing angles, choosing relationships between this plane and that, between this material and that. With Pacific NW Sculptors we can also help each other look at our lives and our work through the angle of time. And isn’t that another form of sculpture, after all?

May your artwork flow,

Leslie Crist