Christopher Pardell began sculpting at the tender age of four, and cites his family as one of his first major influences. By his teenage years, Pardell had come to the realization that sculpting was to become his life's work. Influenced by the work of renowned sculptors Russell, Remington and Rodin, Pardell wanted to pursue his passion for realism.
His formal education was laid aside in favor of an apprentice moldmaker position with a commercial statuary company, and it was there that he received what he considers to be his "real education in art."
As an apprentice to the Italian master artisans who ran the statuary, Christopher rapidly learned the skills that would enable him to excel as an artist and earn the stature that has come with his success. Never sketching his designs on paper, Christopher composes all of his work in three dimensions, in a maquette. This unique approach explains the unparalleled beauty and detail that are the trademarks of his work. Christopher's exceptional style and special talent have served to impress even the most discriminating collector.
The sense of tragedy and drama of the American Indian has long been a favorite theme of his. "I try to convey the spirit behind the Native American lifestyle. The sculptural nature of Native American dress, their use of dance as a metaphor for their vision of a world in constant motion, and their intriguing way of life, provide a rich field of composition and drama from which he creates," Pardell says. Upon reflecting on what his art means to him, Christopher states, "I try to express myself through sculpture. It's all I've ever done. It's all I know how to do." Respected and admired by fellow artists, craftsmen and collectors of fine art, Pardell tells us that he will always do sculpture because it allows him to live. "Sculpture is very meditative and cleansing for my soul. In the concrete slab that lays by my studio, I have engraved the phrase 'life is a performance artwork, make yours beautiful.' That's the principle I live by."
For the past twelve years or so, Chris has stopped creating "commercial" art pieces and concentrated instead on public projects and his own sculptural design firm. His Letters Home Veterans Memorial shown below was dedicated in 2004 and is located in the Temecula Duck Pond park. The photo is the property of the City of Temecula, CA.
