Chris Turri
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Chris Turri is a “near” native New Mexican having lived most of his life in the Tularosa Basin of southern New Mexico. After years as a Silversmith and Tradesman, Chris expanded his creative talents to larger sculptures and other metals. Chris currently focuses his work in steel, copper and stainless steel using a combination of new and reclaimed materials. He builds two and three dimensional sculptures of varying scale including custom installations, spirit masks, shamans and water features. His roots in traditional native silversmith techniques, his love of and connection to indigenous cultures world wide and his desert environment shine through in the spirit and elements of his work. He has developed his own patinas and metal working techniques and loves that every piece is “one of a kind”. Chris’ signature “Spirit Masks” and “Shaman” series are now collected around the country. |
“I’ve always been a junk collector.” Chris says. “There is so much waste in our world, I look at a lot of it and see a piece come together. It’s amazing the jewels people leave behind in the junk pile! I’ve landscaped, constructed buildings & furniture with the scrap left on a construction site, now I build sculptures. It’s the perfect transition for me. I love to see the old and new come together.”
Look for Chris’ back to back C’s signed on all his work.
Artist’s Statement
I love to work with metal. I like how it changes with the seasons, how it gets better with age and weather. And yet, metal is permanent: it lasts for generations. I am completely inspired by the New Mexico “experience” -the culture, the vistas the light and the shadows are so expansive and colorful. Somehow, that all comes into perspective for me when I work with metal.
Native cultures are of particular interest to me. I love how they tell the stories of their people and of their lives in a simpler time. This is partly why I use petroglyph symbols in my work. The petroglyphs are a tapestry of history, and I want to keep the symbols and the stories alive. The meanings can vary depending on the area or the tribe. Some of my favorites are from Three Rivers in southern New Mexico, near my home. Animal symbols—deer, elk, ram, and antelope—intrigue me because they talk about the survival of a people and of the planet.
The faces or masks I have incorporated into much of my work are also inspired by native traditions, and are all about celebration. Most indigenous cultures throughout the world build masks for their ceremonies, using their own unique style and elements from their specific environment. They are all so different, and yet all so familiar.
Some of my pieces tell a story but most are abstractions. The images just come together in my mind, and I have to let them out. I do minimalist sketches of some pieces, but I usually build it from the image in my mind. I often see how it is finished before I know how I will get to that point. The piece creates itself as I go. Sometimes I see the piece and I go out in search of the materials I need. Other times, the materials tell me what to create, and I just go with it.
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