Sebastopol Sculpture Personifies Quirky

If you spend any time at all in Sebastopol like I do you will notice the quirky metal sculptures about town. These are all part of the urban folk art collection of Patrick Amiot. Amiot was a struggling artist who moved his family to California from Montreal in 1997. He originally planned to settle in San Francisco, but the high cost of housing led him to opt instead for a 1909 bungalow on Florence St in suburban Sebastopol 70 miles north of San Francisco. After moving in, he toiled for several years with little notoriety. After 9/11, he crafted a sculpture of the Statue of Liberty and put it on his front lawn. The neighbors were inspired and intrigued and before long practically everyone on Florence St proudly displayed a Patrick Amiot sculpture on their front lawn.

The whimsical and just plain quirky sculptures Amiot makes utilize urban discards such as license plates, car parts, old appliances, tools and practically any form of usable junk. His wife, Brigitte Laurent contributes as a painter as well. Each sculpture is a unique work of art with great interest, often incorporating humorous figures that typify human diversity. You can’t view these sculptures without laughing out loud. I have included a few photos below for your interest. When you are in Russian River wine country, be sure to stop in at 382 Florence Ave and see the master at work. 707-824-9388. The website is www.patrickamiot-brigittelaurent.com.