You could almost say that wood flows through Chris Fuller’s veins. As a young child, he enjoyed hours in the woodshop, working alongside his dad, learning basic carpentry skills.
Then, as an adult, he fittingly studied forestry at the local college, learning about various tree species and wood types. But life got busy with marriage, children, work, and a farm to run, and Chris’s passion for wood grains and creating was put on hold.
It wasn’t until six years ago that Chris re-discovered his creative side. During the Covid years, Chris searched for something to fill his hours and restore his mind and soul. “Wood was a natural medium for me to work with,” Chris says. “So, I taught myself. I experimented with various types of wood, tools and techniques, and worked towards getting the results I wanted to achieve.”
Chris was particularly drawn to using burls – knots in trees – and odd pieces of wood he collected from the bush. Perhaps it is this unique medium that inspired Chris to create mythical creatures, fantasy art, skulls with a bit of Norse style, all richly coloured and decorated with various pieces of metal, beads, bones, leather and feathers.
“I’ve always loved creating, through high school and my college years,” Chris says. “I really enjoy seeing what I can make from wood and watching the wood grains come alive when stain is added to the piece. Drawing and painting is nice, but I really like the 3D effect of carving and sculpting. They feel much more challenging and pleasing to me.”
And who inspires this creativity?
“Recently my inspiration stems from a young local artist, entrepreneur, painter, sculptor, and tattoo artist, Melissa Wright, from Wright Ink and Artwork. I also draw inspiration from the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s Marvel comics illustrator, Frank Frazetta. Both artists align with my love for mythical and fantasy art pieces.”
Chris loves creating pieces that have a high visual and sensual impact on the observer. He admits his subject matter may not be for everyone, but he creates for himself and for people who appreciate unusual fantasy art pieces.
As for his favourite pieces, Chris has a soft spot for what he has aptly titled “Fallen”, a carving of an angel. “It really challenged my techniques and imagination,” Chris admits, since the carving is just one piece of wood. Chris carved a large skull from the burl in the wood, then proceeded to carve the vertebrae, which were very intricate, complex and challenging to complete. The wings were the final section, where he had to use a variety of techniques, tools and lots of imagination to complete. When he added the stain, it brought a whole new dimension to the piece, and his creation came to life.
The Hydra, a carving of a two-headed dragon also presented Chris with challenges, but as each problem presented itself, Chris wisely found a solution.
“You develop a closeness to your work,” Chris says. “When you spend a lot of time with your creation, you’re bound to form a connection. It’s a sort of restoration process, that brings life to your soul.”
To contact Chris Fuller and “Killer Creations”, email him at fulchris@gmail.com
