Dennis Sohocki’s Stories, Lessons & Insights

Dennis Sohocki shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Dennis, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Who are you learning from right now?
For the last few years, my wife and I volunteered to teach stone sculpture to kids ages 10, 11, and 12. They absolutely love carving stone, and they are so creative in both their ideas and their execution. One girl made a sandstone video game controller. Another made a mushroom with a smiling face and then a refrigerator for her mushroom. Seeing the joy and the pure creativity in their faces and their work is inspiring.

I am the kind of person who loves to meet people of all ages, races, and backgrounds and hear their stories. I learn something from everyone I meet and get to know. I spent time in Cuba teaching and carving a monument. I’ve done work in Egypt and have traveled throughout Europe by bicycle. I’ve been on month-long horse adventures. In each of these instances, I always seek out and find different kinds of people. Whether it’s my 101-year-old friend who fought in World War II with General Patton and received five bronze stars or a small child; all of these interesting people with their stories become a part of me in my work.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi. My name is Dennis Sohocki and I am a sculptor. I have been carving since my 20’s and I am in my 70’s now.

I am internationally known for my classic modern forms in bronze, marble, stainless steel, and wood. The Rocky Mountain News once said, “A Sohocki abstraction is a poem in stone or bronze, opening up the senses, setting off memories and associations, and suggesting more than it states.”

I began carving while working with Athabascan and Eskimo Natives in Alaska over 45 years ago. My work has been shown in galleries from coast to coast. I have taught in Cuba and Egypt, as well as in schools ranging from elementary to graduate-level. I have been in Loveland, Colorado’s “Sculpture in the Park” juried show every single year since its inception over 40 years ago.

I have created and installed numerous public and private monuments ranging in height from 6 to 20 feet and my honors include the New York’s National Academy of Design Award, 5280 magazine’s Readers’ Choice Artist, inclusion in the Denver Art Museum’s Kirkland Museum of Fine Art, Littleton Historical & Art Museum, Alva Museum, and inclusion in Southwest Art magazine’s book Sculpture of the Rockies.

I have studios in both Colorado and Arizona.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
In many ways, it’s impossible to know who actually could look into your eyes and soul and have a sense of who you could become. But one such person I believe understood me and inspired me was my grandfather, David Ivor Walters. He was a talented artist who, without any training, created beautiful pastels and drawings. His father was also a well-known marble sculptor. Grandpa Walters was the perfect grandfather, both loving and inspiring. My mother, Edith, also helped to open my heart to music with her beautiful voice and her caring, creative spirit. My father, Stanley, was a tool and die maker. He was an inspiration of hard work, precision, and pride in what a person made. Although none of these individuals probably could have predicted the success I would ultimately have in my sculpting career, surely they saw early signs of my creativity and unique way of thinking.

Another example of a person who saw me before I could see myself is my friend Dave Shaker. When I was a teenager, I taught myself fly-fishing and how to tie flies. I then began to sell my flies at the local hardware store. Dave bought several of my flies, had really good luck with them, and wanted to meet the person who made them. He was probably in his late 20’s and had a master’s degree from Colgate. We began a friendship based on fishing and the outdoors. He was the one who recommended I go to the University of Michigan for college, which was so helpful since, in high school, I was given no information about any universities. Michigan turned out to be a wonderful choice, full of interesting people and also very challenging academically. I graduated from University of Michigan in 3 1/2 years and then received a full fellowship to Cornell for my master’s degree.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I remember vividly a turning point that happened after returning from my time in Alaska working with the Athabascan and Eskimo Natives. At that point, I had begun making more sculptures in stone. I was sitting in the living room of a rental house I shared with a bunch of friends in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In front of my eyes, I saw the shelf on the wall that held several of my stone sculptures suddenly fall to the floor and shatter the pieces. There was no reason or cause. This happened when I was struggling to sell my early work. I remember the overwhelming feeling of despair, the feeling of hopelessness, and that I was pursuing an impossible dream. But, almost immediately, a voice in my head said, “If people don’t want to buy your sculptures now, I will just keep making so many sculptures that people will have to step over them to get to wherever they want to go!” That was the turning point — when I knew nothing was going to stop me. This was my calling, my future, and this would be my dream, however difficult it might be at times.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Protecting the environment is a lifelong cause for me that I am committed to, no matter how long it takes. It is definitely an uphill battle. Often project proponents only have to win once, whereas opponents have to win every time to stop an environmentally destructive project. It’s a cause I believe in, having grown up in Cleveland, Ohio, Detroit and Flint, Michigan, seeing the extreme air pollution and water pollution so bad that the Cuyahoga River would catch on fire. I care about my generation, past generations, and most of all future generations. I want to stand up for all the plants and animals that have no voice. Short term greed and selfishness often leads to irreparable damage to our health, our environment, and, as we are learning, our planet.

Another example of something I commit myself to is my sculpture work. People often ask how I develop the patience to do the kind of work I do, given the intensity and time it takes. What I tell them is, “You either learn patience, or you quit.” Each piece that I begin is an adventure. I don’t know where it’ll take me, but I’m determined to see it through to the end. One recent work, entitled “Curves” took me several decades to create. I did the wood carving original of an abstract female form probably 30 or more years ago. It was good, but it was not good enough. So, it sat in my studio, where I could see it, for all of those decades until, one day, for no reason that I can explain, I decided to work on the piece. In a short amount of time, I was almost magically able to make the changes that turned it from a “pretty good piece” into something of which I’m extremely proud. I ended up casting “Curves” in bronze. Seeing the end result was extremely satisfying — so beautiful, so sexy.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Being the second of two boys gave me a little more freedom and lack of expectation than my brother who is two years older. My parents expected us to go to college, although, since neither had finished high school, they were unable to give us more specific advice. Also, because of limited funds, my brother and I had to pay for our college educations on our own. Both of our parents believed in us. My brother and I went on to obtain master’s degrees. My brother went on to be Chief Engineer at General Motors and created a wonderful family. I ended up living a life of adventure, travel, and dedication to my art.

I think I was born to be an artist, an environmentalist, and a craftsman. My mother’s side of the family had lots of artistic talent but were never afforded the opportunity to create artistic careers. My mother, like her father, was in many ways an artist. She had a beautiful voice. She used to design and make her own clothes, and she loved horses and adventure. My dad was the practical, hard-working craftsman who worked hard in factories his whole life to create a launching pad from which my brother and I could both be successful. My dad taught us fishing and hiking, from the earliest stages, and the love of plants and animals and environmental awareness.

To be a successful artist, one has to be creative and free, a rebel, but also a practical, hard-working, dedicated individual. Many of the people in my family have long since passed, but I hope and believe they are sharing in my work and the life they helped me create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sohocki.blogspot.com/
• Instagram: @dennissohocki