Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Casey Parlette. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Casey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

My sculptures are a celebration of the natural world and its beauty, and I really like to focus on some of the less-celebrated creatures. I did a shark series to highlight some of the many species that live off California’s coasts. People tend to think of Great White Sharks when they think of “sharks,” but there are hundreds of different, amazing species and many of them are becoming endangered due to overfishing.

The sharks in the series were full size, ranging from a 12-ft long Hammerhead to a four-foot-long Leopard shark. They were displayed for an entire summer in the center of Laguna Beach, California. It gave people – whether they lived there at the beach or had traveled there – the chance to experience sharks without the fear. It was very satisfying to watch adults and kids stop and talk about these “dangerous predators” in a new light.

Casey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

To sculpt nature and wildlife, you have to spend a lot of time around these different animals and plants to understand the ways elements interact, and the way they move through their environment. I like to use a variety of materials and techniques to create my sculptures but primarily wood and stone carving, blacksmithing, and metal fabrication. I grew up in an environment where we used tools and created things by hand. I learned my techniques through experimentation, mostly, and from friends and mentors. I’m able to blend these into pieces that highlight the materials and the subject in new ways.

Have you ever had to pivot?

For the first ten years that I pursued selling art I had a day job. I was a full-time Lifeguard for Laguna Beach. Art had been something that I had done my entire life, but selling art is different than just making art. My journey went from making a few pieces for shows, to also doing a few commissions, to it becoming a 40-hour-a-week commitment on top of my 40-hour-a-week day job. I did both for about seven years. The catalyst for me to make the jump into art only was my son, Brooks. His first year, between the two jobs, I was working so much that I couldn’t spend time with him in the way that I wanted. I needed to make a change, so I left lifeguarding and have been sculpting, and now running an art business, ever since. It has been one of the best decisions I’ve made.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There are few jobs out there that provide the freedom that art gives. The only limitations are my ability to conceive projects and to find a market. Otherwise, I can explore a world of possibilities and materials. I appreciate that freedom every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://caseyparlette.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseyparlettesculpture/

Image Credits
Mary Hurlbut Pat Rogers