Previous Page

Crystal Lockwood has evolved from a sculptor's earnest apprentice in her native California into a sought-after artist of renown with an international cadre of collectors. Sculpting from the age of 17, when her unique talents began to emerge, Crystal has eschewed the more traditional sculpting staples of stone and chisel in favor of driftwood and chain saw. Crystal carves original, one-of-kind sculptures out of cured redwood, oak, myrtle, maple, the rare madrone, burlwood and koa, the majority of which she personally selects from beaches in Northern California, Southern Oregon and Hawaii. Choosing the wood is an integral part of her creative process.

The root of inspiration for Crystal's mesmerizing works is twofold ­ the natural shape of the wood itself and the classical nude of the ancient Greek and Roman masters. From the twisted and gnarled roots and burls Crystal achieves a striking metamorphosis of nature into man. A revelation of spirit from organic matter.

"For me, creating art is a deeply spiritual experience and nature is my vehicle of choice. Trees tell an ancient tale of evolution and beauty, of life and death. The story already exists within them. My vision is simply to reveal it, to share that hidden story with others." When challenged about what she considers to be a general misconception about the durability of wood sculpture, Crystal points out that wood sculptures from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) are in the permanent collection of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. After her extensive carving process, Crystal's sculptures are painstakingly hand sanded, polished with Danish oil and hand finished with a fortified polyurethane oil.

Crystal was born in Sacramento, California in 1963 and received her B.A . in Art History from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She has traveled extensively in Europe, studying sculpture in the museums of England, France and Italy. Her work is currently on exhibit in the Addi Gallery in Maui and Fine Arts International Gallery on the Big Island of Hawaii. Crystal welcomes commission work by appointment.

Artist's Statement
Crystal Lockwood
Sculptress

Creating works of art is a spiritual process for me. A tapping into the forces of the universe. An unleashing of the unspoken truths that lie within us all. A baring of the collective soul. And when an artist shares with others what he or she has created, that vision becomes a form of communication, an interaction of elements, an exchange of energies. Between nature and man, between individual souls and the cosmos, and between each other.

Human beings are perpetually engaged in a seemingly impossible quest for happiness, a search for meaning. They both lie within our grasp, at the very tip of our fingers, if we could only realize how to uncover them. Creating art draws from the strength of our shared spirituality and radiates a compelling vibration.

Art is order in a chaotic world. Beauty among thorns. It soothes the heart, nourishes the soul, and offers hope to the human spirit. The artist's purpose in life is to share this energy. People feel the power of creation within every sincere work of art and they are drawn to it, consciously or unconsciously.

It is the chariot that brings us closer to each other, closer to the force that created us, and ultimately carries us on a journey of self-discovery to the depths of our own souls.

Crystal Lockwood