"Bone Salt and Pepper Shakers"

Chris Stiles

"A common thread running through my work is the desire to be inventive, inviting, playful, and most importainly to express the human spirit."

Chris Stiles has always been drawn to working with his hands and has described his relationship with differant materials as a conversation. There is as much give as take between these two independent forces and the relationship is truly a friendship. The challenge of this friendship is to create a balance between the materials' needs and one's own thoughts.

The "Birds in Trees" is a series of wall hangings made of hand scuplted porcelain birds sitting in manzanita branches attached to a wooden back drop. Care is taken to hand pick each branch for their unique shape and size. Using a natural branch ensures each piece stands out as an original. All of the wall hangings are fitted with a mounting bracket for an easy and flush mount to your wall.

Chris Stiles received a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from California State University Long Beach. After graduating, Chris refined his skills as an artist and teacher before establishing his full time studio Stiles in Clay in 1998. Earlier in his life, Chris had a prolonged stay in Scandinavia were he studied their rich mid-century craft culture. This experience led to a different understanding of tools and techniques which revealed new avenues of expression and creativity.