Inside the Artist's Studio with Pat Monk

If you've driven through Hollin Hills, you may have noticed a home with a collection of large, stately sculptures adorning its front yard.

Artist Pat Monk, 90, displays a selection of his works in his sculpture garden. He has lived in Hollin Hills since 1956. He was born and raised in West Virginia and has been creating works of art since he was young. He studied physics, art, and math at West Virginia University. He went on to work as a physicist during World War II and then worked in space research.

After the company he worked for shut down, Monk opened his own studio in 1970 and continued to work part-time as a physics consultant. In 1974, he and his wife were among the first artists to rent studios at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town. Thirty-seven years later, Monk is still an artist in residence at the Torpedo Factory and works on sculptures daily. He has created 400 sculptures over his lifetime and has designed and built most of the furniture in his home. Monk's sculpture garden attracts many visitors from the area. His sculpture, Torus, was featured in last week's

Patch recently sat down with Monk at his home to discuss his career as an artist and his sculpture garden:

Patch: How did you become a sculptor?

Pat Monk: I’ve made things all my life. I don’t know what got me into it. Birth, I guess.

Patch: You went from working in space research to sculpting full-time in 1974. What was that transition like?

Pat Monk: The company I was running closed down in 1970, and it gave me a chance to look for a job. I started making sculptures and continued working. Luckily my wife had a good teaching job at Fairfax County Public Schools at Edison and Annandale High School, so I was able to play around. The Art League was able to open the Torpedo Factory for an artists’ center. She ... rented two studios, one for her to do enamel and one was for me. We moved there in 1974 and I worked there half time and did consulting. I’ve been in the Factory for 37 years, and I gradually got to putting some things in the yard. I couldn’t sell them. I’m still working every day. I don’t spend as much time there – seven days a week typically from 10-4.

Patch: You’ve been in residence at the since 1974. What do you enjoy about it? How has it changed over the years?

Pat Monk: In 1981-82, the city raked up enough money to rebuild it. There was no heat or air conditioning. For a year we moved into Hollin Hills Elementary School while they rebuilt the building. There are changes underway now because the city is taking more of a hand in running it. It may be good, it may be bad.

Patch: What medium do you primarily work with?

Pat Monk: Mostly in aluminum, stainless steel, and steel. I used to do more marble carvings. Marble came from the bank building on King Street. It was built in the 20s and there were big blocks of marble. I was able to get a truckload of 15 tons dumped in my driveway and I worked with that for years.

Patch: Have you had a lot of support from your neighbors?

Pat Monk: Most people seem to like the sculptures. I’ve sold them to four or five residents of Hollin Hills. People generally like simple designs.