Submitted by Lopez Island Library

Christmas came early at the Lopez Island Library in the form of a cheerful thousand pound granite harbor seal, sculpted and donated by local artist Bruce Richardson.

The installation fees were covered by the Friends of the Lopez Island Library. This life-size pinniped is the latest public art donation from Bruce and his wife, Mindy and lives on the south side of the library, awaiting patrons’ adoration. Come see our new resident and help us pick her name!

In addition to being a talented artist, Bruce Richardson and his wife Mindy are hard-working advocates of the library. Bruce shared some of his history and his process: “Sculpture classes at the University of Washington in the last century fueled my interest in carving wood and stone. The fire still burns! My current challenge is finding loved ones camouflaged in the form of Lopez glacial granite boulders, like ‘Miss Pippi,’ the three-ton granite leopard frog who waited 10,000 years for the sculptor’s kiss and now sits in her gravel pond outside the Lopez Center.”

Bruce recently said, “My first memories of Lopez are from the early 50s when my family camped at the south end and I discovered huge ice cream cones at the Richardson store. Couldn’t believe there was a town named after me! Wood carving with Gregg Blomberg for the past 25 years made a big difference in my ability and the tools I use, plus Tamara Buchanan has been a long time friend and stone sculpture mentor. Thanks, guys. In 2010, we moved to Lopez permanently and are overwhelmed by the creativity and caring of the island community that we love being a part of. I appreciate the way Lopez Library and its staff reflect and encourage the importance of finding one’s calling and expressing it and by providing the opportunity for local artists to show their work.”