J. Todd Paxton discovered his life’s purpose at a young age. In middle school, he’d spend hours drawing, painting and exploring. As he continued to spread his artistic wings, he embraced art as the conduit to express what he felt to people around him. That keen awareness of emotions, within himself and in others, continues to be a driving creative force.
Today, J. Todd is a renowned bronze sculptor with a foundry in Chinle, Arizona. He is recognized for the precision with which he captures feelings, emotions and stories in the facial expressions of the subjects he sculpts. He’s particularly drawn to themes that include parenthood, honor and the human condition of how people live.
“Everyone identifies with those things. There’s no greater thing than when you say something and somebody else goes, ‘Yeah, I get that. I really see what you’re saying,’” J. Todd said. “With art, you get to have that same emotion and feeling every time.”
As for inspiration, J. Todd finds it in the most unsuspecting places. Often it’s through the simplest of observations, such as the way a muscle appears and moves in an arm so expressively. He immediately wonders, “How would I use that in a sculpture?”
Everyone sees the world in their own way, and for J. Todd, he loves being a first-time Celebration of Fine Art artist for the fact that he gets to experience the art of 99 other artists.
“The artists are amazing here,” he said. “I’m inspired by a lot of them. Everything is elevated to a level I’m just in awe of.”
See more of J. Todd Paxton’s story below: