Amy Arnold and Kelsey Sauber Olds

"We are a husband-and-wife team of artists drawing upon both of our experiences to create a cast of human/animal figurative sculptures in wood. We aim to make work that is true to ourselves. We value one-of-a-kind pieces, the mark of the hand, and the spirit of the maker. We want to be playful in our work together and for our art to flow freely from our hands and lives."

Just as Amy and Kelsey's collaboration relies upon a balance between their different sensibilities, personalities, skills, and working styles, so too do their finished pieces walk a fine line. Their sculpture explores a balance between human and animal; wild and tame; crude and refined; movement and stability; humor and seriousness; adult and child; and toy and art object.

In creating their wood sculptures, the artists gravitate towards different parts of the process, and the pieces are passed back and forth accordingly. The shaping, refining, and texturing of basswood bodies and body parts is done with a combination of power and hand tools. The pieces are finished with layers of milk paint.

Kelsey studied sculpture at Kenyon College before teaching himself the art and craft of furniture making. After studying ceramics at the University of Minnesota, Amy worked as a sculptor and fiber artist. Informed by these experiences, Amy and Kelsey are now working collaboratively to create something new.