Artist Spotlight – Wes Kolkmeier

As I headed out to meet with Best of Missouri Hands member Wes Kolkmeier, I was surprised to see that I could hardly recognize my surroundings.  As I traveled down Hwy. 94 in St. Charles towards my destination off of Caulks Hill Road, I would get an occasional glimpse of things once remembered.  The area has changed so much over twenty years…..and even with the changes in the last five years, I felt lost. I had to rely on my GPS to guide me instead of memory.  Subdivision after subdivision, some old and well established, others new… all were still growing on what little treasured land is left.

My GPS lady told me I was getting near my destination.  Like a beacon to guide me past concrete driveways and house after house stood a large red barn and a gravel drive.  Pulling up to the old country house, huge hydrangea bushes, big shade trees and chickens scratching the dirt in the back yard, I knew I had arrived.  The Kolkmeier homestead is a mini-oasis in the middle of suburban sprawl.

The land where Wes and his wife Sharon raised their daughter is rich in family history.  It is here that Wes grew up.  His family raised row crops of corn, soybeans and wheat along with cattle, hogs and chickens.  Wes stated that, “When you got up in the morning, you went to work.”  He helped on the farm just as his father, his grandfather and his great grandfather had.  The old homestead has been in the family for nearly 140 years.  Over the years much of the farm has been sold but Wes and Sharon have hung on to five acres of paradise where the grandkids now visit and someday great grandkids will too.

Working with wood has always been a part of life for Wes.  Building and fixing things around the farm as a kid turned into helping an Uncle repair old houses in St. Charles as a young man.  In the early sixties, Wes served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, after which he went on to begin a thirty year career as a carpenter.  He has always enjoyed working with wood, but it wasn’t until he visited a friend at a show that started the wheels turning in his brain.  He was told by his friend that you couldn’t make vases larger than 32 inches due to the tools and traditional equipment used for wood turning.  Out of stubbornness and the need to change, “You can’t do that” into “Yes, I can,” Wes spent three months of trial and error to create his first five foot vase.

While touring the old farm house and studio, I made the comment that several of these vases where taller than me, and I’m 5’2”.  Wes admitted he has been pushing himself through thoughtful design and selecting just the right woods to create stunning pieces six feet tall.  His wife laughed and told me he needed to stop because they would not be able to fit them in the truck if he goes any higher.  After their discussion, it sounded like a new trailer might be in their future.

Wes enjoys working with a variety of woods and incorporates several different kinds into a piece. His favorites are walnut, cherry, mulberry, sycamore and red maple.  Depending on the size of the vase, literally thousands of pieces of precisely cut wood can go into a finished piece.  Careful mathematical calculation and design is used before gluing rings together 6 inches at a time.  The vases are left to dry for at least twenty-four hours before they are turned.  This process is repeated time and time again to obtain the desired finished piece which can take up to three months to complete.  Due to time, attention to detail and craftsmanship that go into every vase, prices can run close to $5,000.  His creations can be found in homes and collections across the country.

For fun, Wes enjoys doing demonstrations by working an old lathe at events like Deutsch Country Days in Marthasville.  He is an active member of the International Wood Collectors Society where he enjoys learning and sharing with fellow artists who share the same passion for wood.  In an effort to give back, Wes feels privileged to be able to donate wooden toys for Shriners Children’s Hospital in St. Louis each year.  When asked what advice he might share with new artists, he said, “Patience….take the time to truly understand wood.”

Though the farm is much smaller now, five acres, there is still much to maintain.  Between the house, yard, garden and chickens, you would think Wes had plenty to do; he likes to stay busy, so he works eight hour days at the local golf course keeping the grass mowed.  Once home and after a little rest, Wes usually heads out to the shop to cut rings, glue or turn.  He always has a couple of projects in the works in varying degrees of completion.  On the day of my visit, he had a vase in the shop that was well over my head.  A trip around the shop showed me that it takes a wide range of tools and equipment to make things happen along with a large supply of wood.

Wes learned about the Best of Missouri Hands while attending shows and visiting with friends.  He began exhibiting at small craft fairs with his bowls and other small works.  Now with a little show experience under his belt, Wes is ready to venture into larger venues with his large segmented vases.  If you see him at a show, be sure to stop by and introduce yourself; his vases make him easy to spot.