By Josh Moshe Culp
Assembling a world-class art museum takes time, resources and vision. Leo Lambiel of the Lambiel Art Museum of Orcas Island Washington has given himself fully to the cause of art. He knows that art is an important portal into the past, capable of inspiring the future to create the tools and beauty it will need.
This past Saturday, the last of the first month of the New Year, accompanied by high school art student Kataya Rain, I took the chance and booked a tour of the Lambiel Art Museum. Located a mile out of Eastsound, the museum is tucked into a southwest facing hillside overlooking Eastsound bay from the eves of supple madrona trees. When asked about the museum, Rain replied, “The museum is a bit of a hole in the wall, a place easily overlooked, but when found, is deeply inspiring.”
For the past few days, I have shared our findings with many members of our community. It quickly became clear that a man of this vision and forward thinking has made a deep impression on much of the island. In the two hours that Mr. Lambiel demonstrated his passion for art curation, I was truly impressed by his humility and lighthearted disposition. An islander of fifty-two years, Leo Lambiel is a truly unique man, dedicated to the betterment of the San Juan Islands.
In New York City lives the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Arguably the premier art institution of the United States, the museum houses four hundred thousand artifacts from around the world. As you pause on the steps, you start to feel the brilliance of many generations begin to permeate your skin. Needless to say, brilliance absorbs nicely and there is always room for more. As the tour of the Lambiel Art Museum commenced, I began to feel that same brilliance in everything, and by the end of the tour was equally impressed here, as I was in the MET.
I challenge you to see for yourself what our backyard holds, and remember, this is the work of one of our own.
Lambiel was born in Los Angeles, California, has lived on the Island of Rhodes in Greece, and now resides on Orcas Island. He can be reached at 376-4544.
