Gerda and Tools

Artist Statement

Born in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Gerda Lattey started carving stone by chance. A piece of soft stone was anonymously left at her house, and, not being one to have idle hands, Gerda picked it up and began to carve. Playing with stone instantly triggered a neural connection and she’s been making sculpture ever since. The stories and the rocks have changed but the process still remains the same:

Gerda predominately uses the direct carve method on a variety of harder stones, first drawing on the stone, then roughing out the piece, and finishing with a high polish. However, a high sheen is not the main goal in Gerda’s work. You’ll also see marks from a diamond chainsaw, grinder blades, chisels, core drills, and various burrs integrated into the piece - an intended visual inclusion of the myriad of industrial tools she uses. There are also areas of stone left raw (in its skin) or, with chips and marks from the quarry.

Says Gerda,“The stone imposes its own history and I weave that story with the panoply of tools that I use and then engrain each piece with fabric from my own tale. Each part of the process contributes to the end result. This feels both modernistic and primitive. People have shaped rocks in order to have bigger conversations with a variety of deities since civilization formally began. Metaphorically, I am weaving a patchwork- a tributary of ancient rites and ritualistic behaviours, and at the same time juxtaposing and imbuing it with a contemporary voice.

“Even as a child I was interested in the marks humans make, especially on a minute level. Sometimes going back to the basics helps determine what informs us, allowing for a bigger conversation, and engaging us to move forward in terms of defining and planning our future.”

Gerda’s passion for stone and stone carving goes beyond her studio. She is committed to the pursuit of stone carving art as a movement. Gerda is the president of the Northwest Stone Sculptors Association; a non-profit organization dedicated to the proliferation of stone sculpture and its inclusive community of sculptors that live and carve in the Pacific Northwest. Her work can be found in private collections and galleries in Canada and the U.S.

Gerda Lattey makes her home on SaltSpring Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Curriculum Vitae

Memberships, Associations, and Galleries Represented

Symposia and Workshops

Publications