Stories Behind the Art
Every sculpture begins with a question, a moment, or a feeling that would not let go. This space is dedicated to the stories behind the work—the experiences, reflections, and meanings that shaped each piece. These are not explanations, but invitations to look more closely and linger a little longer.
The Story Behind “In The Quiet After”
In The Quiet After was born from a deeply personal wound. After a life experience that left Chris profoundly shaken, words felt insufficient to carry the weight of what he was holding. At the encouragement of a friend, he turned to clay—not with a plan, but with the hope that placing his hands into the material might allow something to loosen, something unspoken to emerge.
The form of the sculpture came to him in a dream.
At the center of the work is a dove—long recognized as a symbol of innocence, peace, and love. Here, the dove is injured, held gently but helplessly, hovering near death. It represents not only the fragility of these ideals, but the moment when they feel threatened or lost altogether.
The angel kneels in mourning. Both wings rest against the ground, a posture chosen deliberately. Rather than rising or protecting, the angel is grounded—its stance conveying distress, despair, and a profound sense of brokenness. This is not an angel of triumph, but of witness. The angel does not intervene; it grieves.
The title, In The Quiet After, carries equal weight to the sculpture itself. Its phrasing reflects the emotional gravity of the time—the suffering leading to the feeling that innocence, peace, and love were not simply wounded, but actively slipping away. The title is not meant to soften the message, but to honor its truth.
Bronze was essential to the work. Its permanence stands in stark contrast to the vulnerability of the subject, preserving a moment of grief in a material that endures. What feels fragile here is given weight and time, allowing the emotion to exist without urgency or resolution.
This sculpture is part of a larger arc. A future work will depict the dove taking flight from the angel’s hands—a gesture toward resurrection, redemption, and recovery. But
In The Quiet After remains intentionally unresolved. It occupies the space of mourning itself—the moment before healing, when loss is fully acknowledged.
This piece asks only that we pause, bear witness, and allow grief its rightful place. In doing so, it reminds us that even in brokenness, there is meaning—and in stillness, the possibility of what comes next.
The Story Behind “The Weight of The Deep”
The mermaid has always symbolized longing — half of one world, half of another. In this work, she is not the siren calling others toward danger. She is the one who has lived through it.
Her descent is deliberate.
She descends with an offering – an oyster shell filled with rings. Rings are circles — promises of permanence. Yet here, they rest together, removed from fingers and from vows. They represent loves that once defined her, relationships that shaped her identity, and bonds she believed eternal. The shell itself is significant — oysters are formed through irritation and wounding, yet they produce pearls. Pain transforms into beauty.
As she swims downward, she passes between two archetypal forces.
The fish symbolizes wisdom — the quiet, intuitive knowing that comes from experience. Fish move fluidly through emotional waters; they are at home in depth. It is the voice that says, You see clearly now.
The serpent represents treachery — betrayal, deception, the subtle coil of manipulation. It is not merely an external enemy but the shadow side of desire, the part of love that blinds us.
She swims between them because every love contains both risk and revelation.
The deeper waters are darker, but they are also calmer. The surface world — noisy, bright, demanding — no longer holds her. She chooses depth over drama. Reflection over reaction. Wisdom over illusion.
The piece asks:
What must we release in order to become whole?
What wisdom waits for us beneath the heartbreak?
Is descent truly falling — or is it initiation?
The Mermaid is ultimately not about abandonment. It is about discernment. It is about the sacred courage required to let go of what once felt essential, trusting that in the deep, something truer awaits.
The Story Behind “Vintessa – Mistress of The Vine”
Vintessa was born from delight.
She stands rooted in a harvest of grapes — the fruit of patience, cultivation, and time. Wine does not rush, and neither does confidence. Both deepen with age.
Her body is full and generous, echoing the curves of a vineyard hillside. She does not shrink herself. She does not apologize. She holds her bottle with pride — not as a prop, but as a tribute. The bottle may be exchanged for a collector’s cherished vintage, making each sculpture uniquely personal. In that way, Vintessa becomes part of the owner’s story.
She is abundance personified.
Wine has long symbolized communion — gathering, celebration, sacred ritual, romance, conversation that stretches late into the night. Vintessa honors those moments. She is the hostess, the muse, the embodiment of joy poured freely.
If other works explore depth and descent, Vintessa stands firmly in the present. She reminds us that pleasure is not frivolous. Celebration is not shallow. To savor is an art form.
She asks only one thing:
Have you allowed yourself to enjoy what you’ve cultivated?
With only 17 castings in existence, Vintessa is both rare and radiant — a tribute to women, wine, and the richness of living well.
