We thrive on art. While custom architecture is our chief passion, we embrace art in all its varied forms—pumpkin carving included. ‘Tis the season, after all! Even more, we love cheering on the artistic minds we work with.

For years, we’ve loved seeing what project manager Curtis Peterson would call forth from everyone’s favorite Halloween squash, and he’s never disappointed us. His pumpkins have often made appearances in Bellevue business and have made their mark on various carving competitions. Today, we’re looking back at some of our favorite Peterson pumpkins.

Pumpkin Process

We once asked Curt about his process. His response: “I use clay loop tools most of the time (I like the Kemper tools brand; these seems to be the sturdiest I’ve found so far) in addition to x-acto knives, carving knifes, Brillo pads, Scotch Brite pads, etc. Any device that can be used to remove pumpkin is a tool.”

His inspiration? “Anything really—seeing a funny face in a magazine or on the internet. Making a face in a mirror works. Sometimes just making one up can be fun. I highly recommend working from reference though. It’s the best way to learn the anatomy of a face, how it works, how wrinkles work, etc.”

Pumpkins and Custom Architecture

Peterson’s creativity with a range of tools and openness to inspiration wherever it strikes apply to our work as Seattle architects, too. The attention to detail required to transform a pumpkin into a spookily real face is the same attention to detail that we use to bring our clients’ custom homes to life. That’s why we consider practicing art in any form to be a critical part of our role as custom residential architects. Anything that makes us stronger artists or more creative problem solvers helps us serve our clients.

This fall, we hope you’re relishing the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and enjoying all your favorite seasonal traditions. It’s these traditions, after all, that add life and warmth to a home. We’d be honored to help you create a home perfect for your own traditions and for gathering special memories for years to come.