Bob Sperry - 2 restored monoliths

The restored and reassembled sculptures back in place on the studio deck of Patti Warashina

Bob Sperry passed away a little more than 25 years ago but he had a great influence on his many ceramic students at UW and left behind a large body of vital artwork. This includes two standing monolith-type sculptures, tapered obelisks with square sides that had been standing outside in an ornamental pool on the deck he once shared with his wife, artist Patti Warashina. By late last year it was clear to her that the underlying wood support that held both of these together had rotted near to the point of collapse. Enter Greg Federighi and Ernie Hilsenberg, both ex-students of Sperrys, to rebuild these pieces from the inside out, a delicate operation that risked the destruction of the sculptures.

Over a period of two months here at the Salty Dog, I got to pop in from time to time on the main floor to witness the arduous process of Greg and Ernie rebuilding these from the inside out. One base had been inscribed with Sperrys name and the year, 1983. They were made at the peak of his powers as a ceramic artist, employing a technique of using thick white slip over a black clay body and yielding a highly mottled and crackled surface that he then arranged to bold graphic effect. I find both of these electric in their use of patterns and the binary contrast of tones and sheens.

My involvement was limited to cheerleading and eventually to helping haul them in heavy chunks up the stairs and stacking them into place. They now stand watch back on the deck above the studios of both Sperry and Warashina, ready for whatever the weather throws at them.

Various sections of both sculptures shown on Federighi’s work bench in his studio

Close up view of the highly textured tiled pieces, with lava-like pocked and blistered surfaces

From left: Ernest Hilsenberg, Patti Warashina, and Greg Federighi