Brian Lensink

Upon graduation in 1968, the Special Education minor won out when I was faced with the real life decision of “making a living”, but the ability to work with my hands and with tools continued to be a major interest and brought great satisfaction. I went on to get a masters degree in educational administration. Ultimately I was the State director of developmental disability services in Arizona, Colorado and Connecticut where tremendous work was done to transform how services were provided to people with disabilities and their families. In 1978, I visited an art exhibition that was to be a “life changing event” for me – the Calder’s Universe Exhibition. I was absolutely captivated by Calder’s work and his ingenious designs, whimsical imagination, and creative use of materials. That captivation has never subsided whether the medium is metal or as now, wood.

It was at that moment in 1978 that I decided to dedicate my creative energy and skill to making mobiles and stabiles and other “Sculpture in Motion”. In 2012 my interest expanded to woodturning. I have made several hundred moving sculptures over the years and recently many wood turned vessels and other wood objects. I have exhibited at several galleries over the years including the Nina Kuzina Gallery in Nashville, Tennessee and the Faust Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona and Santa Fe, New Mexico and the Grace Renee Gallery in Carefree, Arizona. I also sell my work t. wo art fairs in Arizona, one in March at the Tucson Museum of Art and one at a studio tour called Hidden In The Hills in Cave Creek, Arizona. Now that I have retired from my primary career I am building another and it is great fun.

I am very lucky to have a wonderful wife, Barbara, who is also talented, and very tolerant. I have three adult children with families and a yellow lab, Billy, who is always begging for my attention.