Born in western Colorado and raised on his grandparents’ ranch near Paonia, Sam Small grew up with an avid interest in wildlife and art. Having expressed both his interest and his talent in high school, Sam was able to pursue his love of sculpture and hone his skill under the tutelage of master sculptors Lincoln Fox and James Barnhill.

Sam started out gaining a reputation for fire place screens and smaller pieces until he came upon the idea of making chess set. “These chess sets I really love doing because you can be really creative about what you can represent with each player. It’s fun to think up new players and how you can present them. You can interact with the art. I thought it was a great idea. It’s functional. But at the same time, it’s still fine art and it’s a great investment for to somebody to enjoy.”

Sam’s chess sets are 32 individual sculptures and a custom made, inlaid table that accommodates the heavy bronze pieces.

Having graduated from Mesa State College with a BFA in 2005, Sam Small has a huge career ahead of him and is currently working on monumental size pieces.

samuel small original art