Luck’s a funny thing, sometimes as fickle and undependable as the weather in spring; could be good, could be bad, the trick is how to make either one work. Archie Held, an internationally recognized sculptor based in Richmond, California, has a way with luck — a way that has a lot to do with grit and creativity.
Arriving at Held’s studio for our interview, I knock on the discreet security door situated directly on the street. I enter the first of a rambling set of interconnected structures and buildings that make up the studio Held has occupied since the early 1980’s. From this location, Held has crafted elegant metal sculpture, frequently incorporating water elements, that is collected and displayed in public and private spaces across the world. The ease of Held’s manner, his quiet humor and quick smile belie the determination and hard work it has taken to achieve this level of success.
In 1975 as a young artist holding a freshly minted Master of Arts degree in Sculpture from UCLA, Held had found his way to the Bay Area, following a romance that, as luck would have it, soon ended. Wanting to fund his dream of a successful art career, Held took a series of heavy duty day jobs such as work in a chemical factory, digging ditches for a landscaper and welding gigs. Connecting luck with wit, through one of these early jobs, Held got to know the owner of a building in Richmond which housed a former iron works supplying WWII shipyards. When the owner was ready to retire, he offered Held a chance to purchase the site.
With a gesture that would become the inspiration for one of his sculptures (see at top), Held pulled out his empty pockets. Despite his lack of means at the time, Held and the owner worked out a long term purchase deal. This formed the basis for Held’s studio, and Held continues to use some of the gargantuan vintage metal works equipment to this day, now for art, rather than industry.
Held was raised in Mountain View and Cupertino. As a teen his family moved to Southern California, where he attended and played football at Damien High School. Of the school’s two electives at the time, Held enjoyed his year in the art department more than the typing course, but kept his focus on math and science. Football injuries, and subsequent surgeries inspired Held to enter the pre-med program as a freshman at UCLA, with an interest in Medical Illustration. Eventually finding his way to the sculpture department at UCLA, Held was fortunate to study under world renown sculptor Oliver Andrews, who became an important lifelong influence on Held.
As a graduate student, Held put together a body of work, sometimes making sculpture from items found in the dumpster. He supported himself with a unique job as an in-house artist at the Playboy Mansion. Putting his metal-working skills to use, Held would one day cast something as prosaic as a bronze window handle and the next day would cast personalized, hand-carved metal likenesses of guests such as Shel Silverstein and James Caan to be used as playing pieces for Hugh Hefner’s after dinner Monopoly games.
The yard at Archie Held Studios in Richmond 
Karl Reichle of Archie Held Studios at work on one of a set of doors for a master bedroom commission 
Susan Jenkins, a fine artist employed by Archie Held to create patinas on sculptures
With characteristic graciousness, Held credits his wife of 30 years, Janet, with whom he has three sons, and who has run the business side of his practice, for much of his success. Held describes the commitment it took during the years when he would take any job, such as restocking clothing in the middle of the night at Ross Dress for Less in order to support his family while keeping his art practice going. Even during those times though, Held found a way to let luck do it’s work. Using his research skills, Held would scan the San Francisco papers to find out when important social events were scheduled. Putting his charm into play, Held would arrive during the event set up time, and offer to put one of his sculptures on display as part of the event decor. More often than not, an event patron would notice and, occasionally, purchase the piece.
Held’s big break came on a day that he describes as a “day of total rejection.” Going from gallery to gallery, photos and artist resume in hand, Held had been told ‘no thanks’ over and over. Finally, walking into the Triangle Gallery, a kind gentleman asked Held to sit down and describe his work. As luck would have it, Mr. Jack Van Hiele, long time proprietor of the contemporary and well-respected Triangle Gallery, had mistaken Held for another appointment. The gallery began representing Held; and Held became known by architects and designers.
David Thorne, principal at the landscape architecture firm DTLA of Oakland, says of Held’s work that he “loves the bold scale and use of metal in Held’s work, particularly the contrast and visual contradiction of his use of material – metal, and how he (Held) can gain such beautiful and unique curves and forms”, an opinion apparently shared by many.
Now with nearly 800 projects located around the world, work done by Held and his studio staff is in constant demand. Currently, Held’s projects cover a range wide enough to include a commission by Yale’s Book and Snake Society, a 21’ long water sculpture to be installed in front of a building in San Francisco that houses CBS and Apple, a commemorative piece for the entrance to Peggy Haas Ross’s $40M renovation of the Presidio Theatre and a refurbishing of nine original Botero sculptures, several of which made a stop at Held’s Richmond studio while in transit from Spain, to be installed at Larry Ellison’s Four Seasons Wellness Retreat on the island of Lana’i.
Nearing the end of our time together, Held showed me a special project, a sculpture that had returned to the studio to be reborn after the devastating 2017 Napa Valley fires.
Was it luck or strength that had allowed Held’s sculpture, called ‘Lovers’, to remain standing after the fire? The couple who owned the home considers it good fortune indeed and can’t wait to have the now shining and twinkling water feature returned to its proper place.