This portrait began with nothing more than the feeling that I wanted to sculpt a particular face. I didn’t have a character in mind, only a few shapes that felt worth exploring. One habit I’ve developed over the years is stepping away from a piece for a few days at a time. Coming back with fresh eyes often reveals directions I wouldn’t have found otherwise.

Eventually, the sculpture became Apollo. The more I worked on it, the more his symbolism seemed to fit the moment. As the god of healing, music, poetry, and the sun, he represented many of the things I think we were all searching for during a time filled with uncertainty.

I’ve always enjoyed when mythology emerges naturally from the process rather than being imposed from the beginning. Sometimes the sculpture tells you who it wants to become, and your job is simply to listen.