Wilmer Roballo's very first sculpture, The Lady of the Lake represents the beauty and grace of the largest freshwater lake (by area) in the world, Lake Superior.
It was May of 2020 and the pandemic had just started. Wilmer was missing the beaches in his native Venezuela. His partner Susanna said “We have a beach, but you need to get your coat!” and brought him to walk on Minnesota Point (Park Point Beach). Walking in the sand, Wilmer started to notice interesting shapes in the driftwood scattered on the beach. He found a single piece of driftwood that looked to him to be a woman’s upstretched arms. Inspired by his find, he found her legs and finally her head. Susanna took a picture of the collection he had before they left the beach (see photo below).
Back at their apartment, because they had no tools, he used the serrated bread knife, some picture nails and an old bottle of wood glue to create a sculpture that he decided to name “The Lady of the Lake.”
Sculpture #1
Lady of the Lake
May 2020
9 x 10 x 3 inches
Not for Sale
The interesting collection of driftwood pieces that the artist found during that first walk on the beach. Do you see the arms and head of the Lady of the Lake?
The artist Wilmer Roballo with his first sculpture.
The Lady of the Lake from the back.
The earliest version of #1 Lady of the Lake and #2 Whale Island.
Because she started it all, the Lady of the Lake is the symbol of Duluth Driftwood Art! Lake Superior is also part of the log because it is the source of the driftwood used in Roballo's sculptures.
The artist's signature is his last name. It is stamped on every piece.
As she is Sculpture #1, The Lady of the Lake is not for sale.