Ross Cripe, who remembers being kicked out of shop class in junior high school, shares he "was always into art" and "always drew." In high school he started taking art classes and won a scholastic scholarship for a pen and ink drawing.

As time went on, he turned to drawing the human form. Then, he wanted to make sculpture and began taking classes. He took lessons from Bob Cunningham and then started doing his own pieces, staying true to the human form. "I've always had two masters. The human body has always fascinated me and I was an athlete. I like the human body and how it moves."

Perhaps stemming from this, Ross Cripe's work nods to classical style and is nearly always figurative. It reflects his focus on "realism that is very muscular, organic, and passionate." His work is very physical and strong -  compelling. Cripe describes it as "life-like figurative forms that have an animated quality."

Cripe likes to work in white clay that is similar in some ways to porcelain clay. "It works for me," he explains. Eventually he casts his pieces in bronze.

"If I get the animation into it – then most important part of sculpting is lighting it – it makes it look real.  As you pull it together you light it in different directions.  If you light it right, they come to life."

Cripe studies books on the subjects he chooses. "My work has a movement or form to it." Then he names his pieces after they are completed.