Quick Look: by Leon White

“Patience Pays Off” By Leon White 

Having worked Randy Zieber’s dark green Brucite which makes wonderful plant forms, I had to try his Lime Green Brucite. I am not an abstract artist, though I try at times. At Camp B a few years ago, I had the piece of lime green and wanted to make a piece having only two large leaves. So, I asked Will Robinson to make a cut through to separate the leaves with his diamond chain saw and hoped to leave it at that. NOT! Too boring for me. I then visualized a lizard perched on one of the leaves (the top of the lizards back is where the top of the leaf was). The plan was to keep the lizard simple and stylized. But as I was carving the legs and the feet and saw how hard and strong this stone was, almost jade-like. Wanting to take advantage of its strength, I carefully carved under the tail, legs, and feet giving the lizard more life. It was then that I noticed a darker green spot in front of the lizard’s face that had a butterfly shape, serendipitous? I left it until last, questioning if this would make the sculpture too kitschy. In the end I carved the dark green butterfly which gave the lizard a reason to be perched on the leaf, hence the title. Sanding in those small tight areas, not fun, but I was happy with the end result.

Leon has been a NWSSA member since 1989 having served on the board, and as sculpture exhibit chair, finding and arranging opportunities for the organization to exhibit. He is an International Award Winning artist in both painting and sculpture. His works are in private, corporate, public and museum collections and; he is a signature member in national and international organizations. Leon is represented by Matzke Fine Art Gallery & Sculpture Park on Camano Island, WA. (Matzkefineart.com)