Kevin Brice Willson

We lost a truly unique character in Kevin's passing. He was born in Seattle and grew up in the north end neighborhood of Broadview. He went to Ingraham High School where he played football receiving all-city honors in 1971. After high school he worked in Seattle briefly before moving to Whidbey Island where his true passion and life work began as an artist.

He helped form The Art Works, a collective that produced metal arts sold nationally. He then ventured out on his own as a sculptor producing works which sold in galleries and art fairs and also did commissions. He was self-taught with keen observation and a great inquisitiveness along with a tenacity to refine his skills.

In 1978 he traveled to Europe to further his craft and seek adventure. He stayed for nine years working in marble quarries in Spain and Italy and eventually settling in Switzerland where he found a strong and endearing community of friends. During this time his work was shown in London, Paris, Basel, Lucern and numerous other cities in Europe along with New York and Palm Springs in the US. He was mentored within the sculpture communities in Italy and Switzerland which influenced his work.

In 1987 he moved back to Seattle to help care for his parents, first his father, then his mother. He continued to produce art which he insisted on selling out of his studio, representing his own work.

In 2008 he moved to Port Angeles and built a large studio. He continued to produce sculpture and ventured into painting. He continued to represent his own work along with joining the Harbor Art Gallery collective.

Kevin was passionate and very expressive. He had an entirely unique way of accenting his speech with characters or sounds which went beyond just the words he was saying. He was very colorful in what he said. His descriptions of events were often punctuated with made up words or sounds. He delighted in making dramatic expressions and had a great love for what could be said beyond words. He was compelling in this way and could captivate a complete stranger very quickly in conversation. He had a vivid sense of humor. He could say something hilarious in one sentence and follow it with something quite profound.

Kevin was generous and cared deeply for his friends and family. He would give you his last dime or help you up if you fell.

He is survived by brother Brandt and wife Patty and their son, Jeromy; brother Dennis and wife Sue, His niece Emily and husband Jimi and their son Hudsen; his niece Jessica and her husband Doug; and his niece Devin and her father Tim. Kevin is also survived by Paul and Karen Holt, siblings from another mother.

He was preceded in death by his parents Lewis and Evelyn Willson, his sister Mindie and nephew Guy.

A memorial will be announced soon in Port Angeles and on Whidbey Island.