Sculpture: Archetypal Characters and Situations

Chas Martin follows no school or genre. His sculptures are the product of his rich imagination. The uniqueness of his vision makes his sculptures instantly recognizable both in style and concept. His mixed media figures symbolize archetypal characters and universal situations.

“I paint sculptures. This practice is not new—the Greeks did it centuries ago. My work combines painting, storytelling, and dimensional figures, transforming petroglyph-inspired characters into contemporary archetypes.”

Each sculpture begins with dozens of pencil or watercolor sketches. Those evolve into complex wire armatures, like line drawings in space. Arms, legs, hips, and heads are re-positioned repeatedly until the character’s gesture feels right. The process resembles a dialogue between director and actor, where subtle changes in posture amplify the narrative.

“Once the form is resolved, I apply paint as a costume designer dresses an actor—using color, surface, and texture to project personality and meaning.” The result is a unique sculptural figure reflecting experiences of universal situations.