Carl Dern is a well-respected sculptor in the Bay Area, known for his engaging and often humorous trees, chairs and ladders. There is an elegant imbalance in the work - a kind of noble incongruity.They make us smile, even as we are remarking on their beauty. Dern's sculptures play with the air. They are never combersome or overly weighted. His patinas are exquisite, so true to nature that they are a trompe-l'oeil of stick, tree, bamboo or plywood. You want to touch the bronze or metal to assure yourself that they are really made of metal.

Carl Dern was born in Salt Lake City to a family of "miners, cowboys and politicians." He rode a horse as a child and attended school. He moved to San Francisco in 1960 and attended the San Francisco Art Institute where he received his undergraduate degree. He went on to complete his masters in sculpture at UC Berkeley. In addition to his sculpture, he is extremely accomplished at drawing and has created many delightful artist books in collaboration with his wife Marie.