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Christopher Schulz
Sculpture
is inherently difficult to write about, because successful sculpture is-by
definition-communicating something that goes beyond
words. Christopher is a sculptor who understands that his work must stand alone,
comprised of two strands of meaning that are inextricably bound together. On
the one hand there is the meaning that emerges from his exploration of his
materials, his experimentation with form, and the inexplicable filtering of his
own emotional and intellectual experiences: and on the other, there is the
meaning that springs from the viewer's own interaction with the work-as
individual and as infinitely varied as the viewers themselves. Both are valid,
both are vital, and neither one should be necessarily colored or influenced by
the other.
Christopher Schulz is an artist who wants his audience to trust their own
instinctive response, to understand that their response is as much a part of
what the work is about as any thought that motivated him during it's creation.
This is the essential magic of art, and like all magic, it is elusive,
understood in an intuitive way, but rarely surviving any intellectualized
dissection. Allow yourself the freedom to experience this sculpture in your own
unique way.
Just as a poet can distill a complex idea, and reduce volumes of meaning to just
a few richly laden words, so Christopher can take the abstract and complex, and
refine it until it exists as pure form. He is drawn to the
endless mystery, beauty, and challenge of the human form, but increasingly, he
is incorporating other elements, hoping to surprise himself. An artist who takes
risks, who acts on an impulse, without a clearly defined image in his mind of
the finished piece, will inevitably make new discoveries. It is beyond the
boundaries of the known and familiar that art takes on the role of intrepid
explorer, and makes its contribution to our collective history.
The love of art was
discovered at a young age for this California born artist, who seemed to have an
uncanny talent for drawing and painting even in his elementary years. In his
teen years he spent time perfecting his drawing skills, in hopes of someday
pursuing an artistic path. Christopher sought out instruction in various forms
of art; architecture, illustration, and graphic design, however, none seemed to
be something he would have a long-term passion for. Feeling the need to find an
occupation, Christopher took many jobs that would utilize his knowledge of
building and of working mechanics. Although these occupations were at times
challenging, he still felt an unfulfilled need to be creative in another way.
Knowing that he had tried and excelled working in other mediums, there seemed to
be an intrinsic need to work in the round, 3-D, something that was truly
tangible. Schulz took to form like he had been waiting for this discovery for a
decade. Constantly searching for growth, he found the need to improve on his
already well-developed skill by working for well recognized sculptors such as
Richard MacDonald and Edmond Shumpert, on large-scale bronze sculptures. After
premiering his debut works at "Sculpture in the Park 2001", an invitational
exhibit in Loveland Colorado, Christopher Schulz has been receiving acclaim for
his works in bronze, showing his works at the "Pageant of the Masters-Festival
of Arts" in Laguna Beach, California, along with many other galleries
nationwide. He is currently pursuing his life-long goal of "pushing the
envelope" of sculpture.
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