Meet Jamee Lucas Loeffler.  An avid whitewater kayaker, a master mason, a sculptor, and owner of Alloy Fine Art Gallery.  Jamee, who also goes by his middle name of Lucas, has had a presence in Lafayette and Boulder County his entire life.  Even if you haven’t met him, you’ve likely seen his sculptures displayed around Lafayette and surrounding areas.  Of note, “Two Bears” is currently on display outside of Cannon Mine Coffee on S Public Rd.

Thank you Lucas for your pride in Lafayette and your creative presence in the art community that has become a vibrant pulse of this town.

 

Questions:

Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?

A: It’s a culmination of things.  You’re born to do something and you just do it right from the beginning in conjunction with having a mom who was extremely supportive of everything in that aspect.  She gave me clay when I was 5 years old and I made King Kong. It sucked, but it was just one of of those things that got me. Then there was a guy next to us at an art show who had figurines like the Lizard man in Spiderman, and he gave me some wax. I started working with wax and making weird little things like cartoon characters, never really knowing what it all meant… and it progressed. As I got older I just got more into it, yet I completely sucked! But, I could see it though, that if I learned to do it, I could do it, so I just kept going. When I was 18, I made a piece that you see in front of Cannon Mine Coffee (“Two Bears”).  It actually had sat in my basement for over 20 years. I started a masonry company in my early 20’s.  I went back and forth between that and sculpting. I was born to create stuff and sculpture is really my thing.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Louisville or Lafayette, and what do you love there?

A: My all-time favorite restaurant is Efrains. It’s been here as long as I have, margaritas are great, incredible food and 2 blocks from my house, so it’s a good spot. Another one is Tandoori Kitchen, I eat there all the time. Everything is great, I know the people in the restaurant, I know how attentive they are, and I enjoy going there.

Q: How long have you lived or worked in Louisville or Lafayette?

A: I am from Boulder, so I grew up in the area. I’ve lived in Lafayette for 25 years.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?

A: I would say somewhere around Greece because of the culture, sculptures, food, and for everything it has to offer.

Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?

A: My first and favorite movie is Star Wars.

Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?

A: Protect our water. It’s going to be the most important thing in the coming future. Do everything you can to protect our water.  Watch the video called, “Source to Sea.”

Q: What is something on your bucket list?

A: I want to parasail.  I’m afraid of heights and I don’t like airplanes.  But, I’ll run off a downhill slope… I want to fly with limited risk. Hahaha.

Q: What is your favorite music/ 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?

A: I would love to see if possible, Mozart.  – To be in that time period and witness his music. Led Zeppelin, I never got to see them. And it would be totally cool to see the Beatles.

Q: What current / former local business makes you the most nostalgic about Louisville or Lafayette?

A: At my original location I got a lot of feedback from people, that have asked me if I will open another gallery.  We had community events and we connected, making community.

Q: Choosing anyone alive and a non-relative with whom would you love to have lunch? Why and where would you have lunch?

A: I’d like to have lunch with Benjamin Franklin, he’s a talker.  He was so witty and if you read about him he’s on point all the time and is hilarious.  He’d probably like William Oliver’s or Community, the owner Scott is really a good guy.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Louisville or Lafayette?

A: Up until recently, it felt like Boulder did in the 70’s. My street still feels like that small, home-town feeling, like a tight knit community. Almost everybody on my block has lived there for the last 20-25 years.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

A: I would like to be in the mountains. I’d like to have a studio in the mountains and then maybe “snowbird” to somewhere tropical.

Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?

A: I was born at home and delivered by my dad. Only my sister and grandmother were there.

Q: What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?

A: Hope, Love, Joy.

Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose? Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer, or Nanny?

A: I like to cook, but I would really appreciate if there’s somebody to takes care of that for me.  Someone to force feed me, so I don’t have to stop in the middle of creating (art).

Q: If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?

A: Charlie Day, because he cracks me up.  I love that guy.

Q: Will there be anything you would like to improve or add something in the community of Louisville or Lafayette?

A: A huge park for gatherings. We have the community plaza, which is great and that is downtown for things, but we don’t have a big park.