By Barb Lally
Bill Lenker is an artist – one that integrates the value of human interaction and the beauty of nature to create inviting outdoor sanctuaries. The owner of Lenkerbrook Stoneworks, Bill designs and builds outdoor spaces with sculpted stone and craftsman skills that are becoming increasingly rare in today’s world.
His projects range from the elegantly simple to spectacular “hardscapes” enhanced with flagstone patios, hearth stone pizza ovens, cairns, fire pits, intricate stone benches and more.
Whether it is chiseling local Columbia granite for a garden mirror ball plinth or veneering a foundation with blue slate imported from the East Coast, all of his final products are stunning works of art.
An artist’s background
A native Pennsylvanian, Bill grew up inspired by old fieldstone walls and edifices of the Keystone state and was enamored by the area’s famous American artist, Andrew Wyeth.
“As a teenager, I did a lot of watercolor work and would sneak on to the Wyeth farm to sketch. When I do traditional work, it looks like it belongs in a Wyeth painting,” explains Bill.
His projects with “a more artistic flair” are influenced by Miro and Gaudí, early 19th century Spanish artists that were given the keys to the city of Barcelona, a cultural and artistic hub at the time.
“My wife Erica and I went to Barcelona for our honeymoon and I was astounded by Gaudí’s work – his parks and the cathedral that are still under construction. Gaudí advanced the presence of artistic stonework in modern civic planning.”
Starting out, Bill performed all kinds of work, including landscaping, so he could play music at night. It is how he began in stonework.
“I have dabbled in poetry, prose, music and visual art,” explains the local craftsman. “But, stonework allowed me to express my artistic side while supporting my family.”
Building sanctuaries
To achieve a sense of sanctuary, Lenkerbrook Stoneworks builds outdoor destinations where people interact, whether it is around a fire pit, on stone benches or a wall with a great view.
“It is very important for people to have a place that is void of their electronic devices, so that they can sit and talk or eat,” says Bill, who admits that designing those spaces is not an exact science because people are so different.
“It starts with a layout drawing of what comes to mind and what works for the space and with nature,” he described. “We consider everything from flow to textures. I like to use stone, wood and metal – the trifecta of materials that work well together.”
Outdoor artwork
The cairn, a giant stonework egg, is an example of a simple, single art piece that stands alone or part of a larger hardscape that Bill designs and builds.
“Cairns were used as landmarks in Europe and now are often art for art’s sake,” Bill describes. “I have built them as a focal point in a sanctuary and even as a memorial. Naturalist and artist Andy Goldsworthy will build a cairn on a beach and let the tide take it out as a testament to how temporary everything is.”
Designing spaces often requires cooperation with several different contractors. Bill is well connected with local artisans, should the addition of elements such as fine carpentry or metal work be required.
An example of a more elaborate project was built on Cooper Point where Bill laid a rich flagstone patio and the foundation for a beautiful greenhouse on one level of the property. Descending down a hillside, he built a bench and walkways around a fire pit area that had multiple walls of granite built by others.
Community sanctuaries
Bill has built several civic projects that have enhanced our communities. They include the dry stone walls on both sides of the river along the trail in Tumwater Falls Park and a stone bench in the Master Gardeners’ garden at the Olympia Farmer’s Market.
Last summer, the company helped convert an overgrown trail off of West Bay Drive into an enjoyable walking “Z” trail.
Bill enjoys work at historic locations and recently worked on the Bigelow-Bailey House built by the Bigelow family in 1897.
Reviving the art of dry stone walling
An experienced craftsman in the centuries-old trade of dry stone walling, Bill says he learned the craft in part from growing up on the East Coast where the walls line the countryside. He also had the benefit of artisans who generously offered their knowledge. And, much of it is self-taught.
“I follow dry stone wallers in England, Scotland and Ireland and I am trying to ‘reverse engineer’ our trade back to its original experts,” says Bill who considers it a dying art form. “I use older methods and tool arsenal to bring the East Coast stonework, ultimately European stonework, to the Northwest.”
Bill sees the aesthetic value and functional advantage of dry walls.
“It is stone work without mortar,” he explains. “Dry stone purists call mortar the ‘devil’s cream.’ Dry stone walling can withstand frost and winter because is not static, it can breathe, where concrete will crack. Static things usually fail, things that last need a flow.”
Living his art
“Our family lives on a small farm and we have a stone pizza oven, a couple of patios, gardens in the yard and chairs hanging out of trees,” describes Bill who is the father of three girls. “Everything is an interactive destination—that is our paradigm. It gives us a strong sense of self and place.”
Bill thinks of his business as an extension of the way he lives.
“It is a highly gratifying profession,” he says. “It is not a quick process, but when you have finished, you know you have created ‘art by the ton’ in a sanctuary for others to enjoy, one that will last for generations.”
Learn more about Lenkerbrook Stoneworks on his website and view stunning project photos on the Facebook page.
