Lon Etzel grew up in California’s Santa Ynez Valley spending most of his time running wild outdoors. Lon often kept tarantulas, rattlesnakes, and other unusual pets. Growing up, he participated in Indian Guides and 4H, and spent many hours playing with clay, cutting firewood, hiking, bicycling and riding off-road motorcycles. Lon attended Santa Barbara City College and the University of California Santa Barbara for seven years, and truly enjoyed his education, for it was there his passion for sculpting arose. Lon loves traveling, listening to people talk, and learning about cultures and history. He roughed-it in Alaska, Australia, and Italy with his father, and has spent two months wandering Israel and Egypt. He found the love of his life, Eva, in Solvang during a trip in 2005. They were married in Sweden, and now spend their time between Santa Ynez Valley, Jackson Hole, Wy., and Halmstad Sweden. Reading, self-education, sculpting, and playing with his four-year-old son, Mason, are his favorite pastimes today.

Click here to see Lon’s current project.