We had the good fortune of connecting with Casey Parlette and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Casey, how do you think about risk?
There is some risk in everything that we do in life. Before I did art full time I was a commercial diver and a full time lifeguard for Laguna Beach I also lived in the amazon jungle for a year. All of these have danger and risk associated with them but they were all very rewarding and I think that with proper preparation much of the risks can be mitigated. Making the decision to leave a steady job to make a career as an artist also has its inherent risks but can be an incredible life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My art is a celebration of the natural world that has always inspired me. Depending on the project, I use wood metal and stone to capture the movement and essence of the subject. I use blacksmithing techniques and metal fabrication techniques to give metal texture and organic curves. Wood and stone have great natural patterns that I incorporate into the sculptures. I have spent a lot of time in the water and hills observing wildlife and that time was key to getting a feel for the movement of the subject. It took a long time and a lot of experimenting to be able to translate the story I wanted to tell into the unforgiving mediums that I work with.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a tough one! I guess it depends on the friend. I always like the beaches in Malibu but the Natural History museum and La Brea Tar Pits are pretty amazing too.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have had a lot of great people help me throughout my life. Great people who have been very generous sharing information and love. I guess if there is one person who truly pushed me to jumping into doing art full time it would be my son Brooks. The first year of his life I was working at Lifeguards full time and working in my studio at nights and weekends. I barely saw him and needed to make a change. The difference is night and day. I still work a ton but I have the schedule flexibility to be present in Brooks’ life.

Website: www.caseyparlette.com
Instagram: @caseyparlettesculpture
Facebook: casey parlette sculpture

Image Credits
Mary Hurlbut Pat Rogers

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.