Larry Calkins Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1955 -

my personal history goes back 5 generations in one place. My ancestors crossed the plains and homesteaded in the Harlan Valley, in Oregon, where I grew up. People in the valley depended on each other and formed a tight knit community. They raised cattle, sheep, farmed and logged trees for a living.

Many stories circulated as spoken history - some mysterious, some tragic, some encouraging, and many remain perplexing. These stories come alive in my art. For the observer they likely remain obscure, but my symbolism transcends and makes the the heart of the narrative emotionally accessible. Collectors from many walks of life respond to my work. There is an underlying meaning that triggers an emotional response.

I developed my own symbols that mark my narratives: for example, the burning house represents change and disruption. Other houses stand for stability and connectedness, a place to be from or to belong. Small houses dot green mountains and each one holds a mystery unseen.
Rabbits and birds that populate my imagery are interchangeably good and evil, male and female, strong or weak. Appearances can be deceptive.

I am known for my dress sculptures. They appear plain in their countenance but are elegant in their simplicity. They embody the same symbolism but are abstract nature which allows the viewer to supply his/her own interpretation. I have been told of very strong emotional responses to my work.

Looking back to my childhood in the late fifties, life in the valley still seemed like that of pioneer times when a man could hack out a little clearing - as my father did - and with his own hands build a small shelter to raise a family. They survived with a few essentials. Houses were small and the work was honest. People didn’t plan to be rich, they just wanted to survive and be happy.

When you are closer to nature you are more content.
Birds replace radios. Evening sky replaces TV.
In winter the Big Elk River looks like coffee with cream.


Larry Calkins was born in 1955 in Corvallis, OR, and grew up in a small logging community named Harlan. He stepped into the family tradition of working within logging operations, but after serious injuries in logging accidents, he decided to pursue his obvious talents in the arts. He has lived in London, England, and has traveled widely throughout the US and Europe

In the early 80s up until 2003 he worked in photography related fields in Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. In the late 80s he and his wife, a former architect, began building their house near Issaquah, WA, where they have lived for the past 26 years with numerous pets, chickens and 2 mules.
Larry works daily in his studio and in his metal shop -- or in the sometimes sunny, but often wet and cold outdoors.