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Scrap Metal Eye Candy
SEBASTOPOL, CA – Who would have thought that a pile of scrap metal could come to life as a bunny rabbit or a harp-playing mermaid? And yet, artists Patrick Amiot and his wife Brigitte Laurent transform the ugly and useless into beautiful, fun, and imaginative sculptures from materials found at the local dump.
Patrick assembles the sculptures and Brigitte paints them in bright colors. In their hands, utilitarian objects are rescued from their humdrum existence and reborn into a magical and playful universe.
Patrick and Brigitte's front yard, on a pleasant tree-lined street, is filled with life-sized and larger sculptures. There is a giant tyrannosaurus rex, a mermaid, a dog, a moose on a motorcycle - assembled from shovels, old water heaters, metal pipes, hoses and car parts.
Many of the sculptures are on loan to neighbors on Florence Street, which is known as "the art street" in Sebastopol. A few doors down from their place stands a twelvefoot high ladder of three jugglers standing on each others' shoulders. The jugglers are constructed out of motorcycle gas tanks, metal garbage cans and alarm clocks.
The artists’ house is itself a work of art. There is a bed assembled from the front of a truck, welding tanks and even a cadillac hood for a headboard. The bureau next to it was an old shell gas tank in its previous life. All the rooms have a magical Alice in Wonderland quality.
Patrick and Brigitte trained as ceramic artists and are originally from Montreal. Seeking a better life for themselves and two children, they moved to Sebastopol in 1997. The going was pretty tough at first, according to Patrick, but nine years ago he made his first large junk sculpture and put it on his front lawn. And from there, the business just took off.
Although they only planned to stay in Sebastopol for five years, Patrick and Brigitte now feel so much a part of the community that they would not think of leaving. The sculptures can be seen in local schools and in public spaces throughout the city. Brigitte says that there are over 350 pieces on view in Sebastopol.
At the time of this interview, Brigitte was in the back yard painting a piece for a local school. This seven ft. sculpture, featuring a man riding a child's bicycle, was commissioned by the school to honor a teacher of 30 years, in recognition of his life-long commitment to biking everywhere instead of driving.
Patrick feels strongly that his art is about building connections between human beings. He says, "without the community I don't exist."
The sculptures on his street spark conversations between the neighbors and passers-by. The couple will often invite interested onlookers into their home for cheesecake, coffee, and stories. "I once got a letter thanking me from someone in Idaho, many years after their visit to Sebastopol," says Patrick.
Their generous spirit is well felt in the community. Photos of the sculptures have been featured in calendars, the sale of which has earned 300,000 dollars for the school district over the last six years! Patrick and Brigitte also donate their sculptures to raise money for community-minded organizations. The couple additionally plans to teach welding and construction skills to at-risk youth.
Patrick says, "I've been so lucky. I met this beautiful woman, my life partner; we have two wonderful daughters. I've been blessed. It's my mission to share my gifts with others."
Contact: Patrick Amiot www.patrickamiot.com
rosiemoncherie@hotmail.com 707.824.9388
Patrick assembles the sculptures and Brigitte paints them in bright colors. In their hands, utilitarian objects are rescued from their humdrum existence and reborn into a magical and playful universe.
Patrick and Brigitte's front yard, on a pleasant tree-lined street, is filled with life-sized and larger sculptures. There is a giant tyrannosaurus rex, a mermaid, a dog, a moose on a motorcycle - assembled from shovels, old water heaters, metal pipes, hoses and car parts.
Many of the sculptures are on loan to neighbors on Florence Street, which is known as "the art street" in Sebastopol. A few doors down from their place stands a twelvefoot high ladder of three jugglers standing on each others' shoulders. The jugglers are constructed out of motorcycle gas tanks, metal garbage cans and alarm clocks.
The artists’ house is itself a work of art. There is a bed assembled from the front of a truck, welding tanks and even a cadillac hood for a headboard. The bureau next to it was an old shell gas tank in its previous life. All the rooms have a magical Alice in Wonderland quality.
Patrick and Brigitte trained as ceramic artists and are originally from Montreal. Seeking a better life for themselves and two children, they moved to Sebastopol in 1997. The going was pretty tough at first, according to Patrick, but nine years ago he made his first large junk sculpture and put it on his front lawn. And from there, the business just took off.
Although they only planned to stay in Sebastopol for five years, Patrick and Brigitte now feel so much a part of the community that they would not think of leaving. The sculptures can be seen in local schools and in public spaces throughout the city. Brigitte says that there are over 350 pieces on view in Sebastopol.
At the time of this interview, Brigitte was in the back yard painting a piece for a local school. This seven ft. sculpture, featuring a man riding a child's bicycle, was commissioned by the school to honor a teacher of 30 years, in recognition of his life-long commitment to biking everywhere instead of driving.
Patrick feels strongly that his art is about building connections between human beings. He says, "without the community I don't exist."
The sculptures on his street spark conversations between the neighbors and passers-by. The couple will often invite interested onlookers into their home for cheesecake, coffee, and stories. "I once got a letter thanking me from someone in Idaho, many years after their visit to Sebastopol," says Patrick.
Their generous spirit is well felt in the community. Photos of the sculptures have been featured in calendars, the sale of which has earned 300,000 dollars for the school district over the last six years! Patrick and Brigitte also donate their sculptures to raise money for community-minded organizations. The couple additionally plans to teach welding and construction skills to at-risk youth.
Patrick says, "I've been so lucky. I met this beautiful woman, my life partner; we have two wonderful daughters. I've been blessed. It's my mission to share my gifts with others."
Contact: Patrick Amiot www.patrickamiot.com
rosiemoncherie@hotmail.com 707.824.9388
Artist Brigitte Laurent
© patrickamiot.com
by Larissa Chernin
