A Seattle native, James Kelsey was a fire fighter and attained a commercial pilot’s license and a degree in communication before finding his true passion in the arts. He took his first welding class over 21 years ago and began creating and selling art before he even finished the program. He spent three years working for local sculptors, and in 2000, he built his own studio and has never looked back. “As a self-taught artist, I feel free to explore my imagination no matter where it may lead,” he says. “I like creating in the abstract because it requires the viewer to bring something personal to the work of art. They need to call upon their own history, their thoughts, and what they already know to bring their own meaning to any particular sculpture. There is rarely a ‘right’ answer and never a wrong one; this gives the viewer a sense of empowerment and makes my work interactive on an intellectual level.”