Follow the Artist

Paddle boarding at dusk, I watched this happen right in front of me.

The osprey had just caught a fish when a bald eagle came in and stole it almost instantly. Moments like that stay with you. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at a new painting inspired by that encounter. I love the constant push and pull of detail, building layers of paint bit by bit.

Imagine being born into captivity.

Imagine having your teeth removed so your strength feels less threatening. Imagine being castrated so you’re easier to control. Ricky’s early years were shaped by human needs. It's believed that he spent time in the entertainment industry before eventually living alone, prisoner in a garage.

When I first saw him at Save the Chimps, Inc. he wasn’t performing. He was sitting quietly, thoughtful, surrounded by other chimpanzees. He had found community again. What stayed with me wasn’t what had been done to him. It was what remained.

The awareness in his posture. The inward focus. The way he carried himself. When I sculpted Silent Thought, I wasn’t trying to retell his past. I was honoring that inner life. The part of him that was never taken.

Bronze can easily become dramatic, but I didn’t want drama. I wanted stillness. I wanted dignity. A moment of being caught in reflection.