Chris Duccini

A bowl of stone fruit, a couple of broken fountains and a marble lamp – an unusual assortment of items you might say, however all connected for Chris. "The fruit, the lamp, the fountains were all items that my family regarded with great reverence while growing up." Why? Because his grandfather, Gaetano Duccini, created them and were among the few remaining pieces the family had from his work as a sculptor. Chris never knew his grandfather, but this strange collection of stone established a lasting connection for them – a shared love for creating.

Connection still remains at the heart of Chris' passion for being an artist today. "Being an artist requires me to spend much of my time in solitude – art is my way of connecting with people. When something I created brings joy to someone else, it brings me joy and reminds me of why I'm an artist."

Chris' path to becoming a professional artist has been a winding one. After college, he spent four years in the U.S. Coast Guard and had the good fortune to visit many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. His love of history, architecture, art and ancient cultures made this an incredible experience for him. The views locked in his memory still influence much of his artwork today. After leaving the service, Chris spent many years working for architectural and engineering firms where he learned much about computers, drafting and design. These skills have been invaluable in the development of his artwork.

Chris didn't start painting seriously until his mid thirties. "I remember my very first painting, it was of a green bottle. I ran into the house, so excited to show my wife the masterpiece. She was pregnant at the time with our daughter and was not feeling particularly well. "Look honey, look what I painted!" I said. "Oh," she said, startled from sleep, "What is it? Is it a genie?" "A genie? What do you mean a genie? It's obviously a bottle!" I exclaimed. And from that moment on it became known as Genie in the Bottle – and marked the beginning of my journey as an artist.

Chris is a native of northern California and grew up mostly nestled in small towns and countrysides. Today, he lives with his wife and their two children in Nevada City, California. The diverse beauty of the surrounding areas provides an endless menu of subject matter, from wild flowers and grassy fields to snow-covered mountains and the majestic ocean, all within a few short hours.