Artist's Statement

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Artist's Statement

People like to know what makes an artist tick, what passions and interests drive their art. My passions and interests include my wife Angela and our baby son Giovanni, drawing, sculpture, casting, comics, business, teaching, playing basketball, and fishing. Angela and Gio hold the top spot on my priority list. The number two spot can be occupied by any one of the rest of my list, depending on the day.

As for what drives my art, that's simple, pleasure. I enjoy creating things. However, to keep things vital and fun for me, I need to be going somewhere with my work. So I bring subjects that interest me into my projects. For example, I combined teaching and basketball in a sculpture I made at the Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket. I made the piece, which depicts a basketball player dunking the ball over another player, in front of the kids. I answered questions and enlisted the help of interested kids. Working in public makes the process a sort of performance piece. Sculpture is a very process intense art and I have a lot of expertise to share, because I also run an art foundry. I will be doing more of this kind of public project as I offer my ideas and technical knowledge to schools and groups with art education missions. It is important to me to see a social benefit to my efforts.

If you are interested in learning more about why I feel itis important to connect my work with people, why I don't believe in talent, and why there is inherent value and potential in all students, I suggest reading a rambling essay I wrote, where I frame the human condition in terms of still life drawing. Just click on the Tao of Chris link (I guarantee wealth and prosperity will flow to anyone who reads it)