Nuthatch Studio: A family gallery in Elk Country
Elk County | Elk Country Landscape of the Pennsylvania Wilds
By LaKeshia Knarr
Located near the bottom of Gray Hill Road in Elk Country, the Nuthatch Studio showcases works crafted by Kathleen, Martin, and Victor DePasse.
What was a family hunting cabin has become a gallery exhibiting a collection of artwork by the DePasse family.
Featuring artworks in clay, jewelry, paintings, drawings, macramé, woodwork, handles, hooks, hangers, and wood and stone sculpture, it’s safe to say you can find just about anything you’re looking for there.
The trio has been practicing their individual crafts for years.
After 15 years of producing artworks, Marty finds that he most enjoys wood because it is most challenging. Kathi, after 60+ years creating art, still finds that the challenge of manipulating marks on paper to create reality is what she enjoys most. And Vic, who’s spent more than 50 years delving into the arts, enjoys experimenting with tools and techniques and working to master them to achieve his creative goals.
Each of the three artisans believe nature inspires their work, but they also see other themes that shine through.
“Natural and abstract concepts are made as plain as possible,” Marty said.
A drawer and painter, Kathi says her works focus on compositional relationship, and often feature both nature and people.
Vic’s woodworking pieces tend to be practical and useful, but also have an aesthetic value, he said.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Kathi and Vic visited their cabin in Weedville for hunting and fishing trips. They’d often bring their kids, including Marty, and the family would swim and hike. Over time, they began coming more regularly, with Kathi noting she now visits every weekend.
“If you feel compelled to create, then you must create,” Kathi said. “Then try to sell it. It accumulates!”
TIMELY TIP
Nuthatch Studio is posting updated hours and operational changes amid COVID-19 on Facebook and is also accepting appointments. Visitors must wear masks and group sizes will be limited.
Learn more about Nuthatch Studio at https://www.facebook.com/nuthatchstudios/.
*Photos used in this article were taken by Tracy Smith of Sixty Foot Films as part of the Creative Makers of the Pennsylvania Wilds – A Traveling Public Art Show, which was partly funded by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
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