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Walt YoungstromMarine Life in Bronze |
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| My self-taught marine art career began in 1986 after early retirement from 33 years of professional engineering at the Boeing Aerospace Company. It began with small woodcarvings and has now expanded to include bronzes from desk top size up to a 10' dolphin fountain. My education and engineering work in structural strength, materials development and design analysis is very helpful in the design of bronze sculptures. A natural feel for scale, proportion and balance are useful engineering characteristics. |  |
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| My interest in the sea and marine mammals derived from many years of pleasure boating and work with the "Boeing Navy" while serving as a member of an engineering test crew for performance evaluation of hydrofoil craft. Often while pleasure boating in Puget Sound and Alaskan waters, I have experienced spectacular displays of Orcas, Gray and Humpback whales as well as dolphins and porpoises. These experiences are the inspiration I need to portray the whales and dolphins in pleasing and emotional scenes that capture a brief instant of "being a whale". Now, I have added several sculptures of eagles, herons and shore birds to round out a marine life repertoire.
I was commissioned by The Hamilton Collection to do a series of eight whale sculptures. These attractive pieces called "The Odyssey Series" are in production and are cold cast in porcelain. Hamilton does all the work including hand painting each piece. |
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| Most of my life I've lived near the Pacific Coast and Puget Sound region and have always enjoyed the "marine life scene" where I live and work now near Hood Canal. I hope that my art can contribute a reminder to the viewer of the need to protect our waterways and the marine life environment they provide. |  |
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