Christopher Puzio
b. 1971, Paterson, New Jersey
“My studio practice is mostly focused on large-scale metal sculpture. Throughout my early years working in both visual art and design, I had developed a passion for metalwork that ultimately led me to study at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Detroit, where the immediate proximity to both a rich tradition of craft, and a vast infrastructure of industrial manufacturing, highly influenced working within my chosen medium - metal. Eventually settling in San Diego, California where I founded a studio located here in Barrio Logan, next to the largest shipyard on the west coast, at the threshold between an expanse of desert, great mountain ranges, and the roaring Pacific Ocean, bordering Tijuana Mexico, at the edge of the North American plate - many extremes synthesize within my work. But my primary artistic endeavor remains the basic exploration of how things come into being through the techniques of material production and compositional order.”
CV
Education
Cranbrook Academy of Art, M. Arch. 2002
Boston Architectural College, B. Arch. 1996
Residencies
Penland School of Crafts 2023
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts 2018
Solo Exhibitions
New Sculpture, Quint Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA 2022
Material Reconnaissance, Sasaki, Boston, MA 2019
La Jolla Duomo, Quint Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA 2016
Pattern & Structure, San Diego Central Public Library, San Diego, CA 2015
Spatial Effects, Unisource, San Diego, CA 2012
Sketch, Prototype, Test, Agitprop Gallery, San Diego, CA 2010
New Work: Big Beaver, Luis De Jesus, San Diego, CA 2008
Holy Ghost, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 2007
Select Group Exhibitions
City of Palm Desert Art in Public Places, El Paseo Exhibition 2021/2022
La Jolla Historical Society, Trifecta, LA Jolla, CA 2021
Quint Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA 2021
Quint Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA 2019
Quint Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA 2018
Quint Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA 2017
San Diego Art Institute, Winter Exhibition, San Diego, CA 2014
Object Object, Helmuth Projects, San Diego, CA 2014
Quint Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA 2013
Public Art Matters, Woodbury University, San Diego, CA 2013
Quint Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA 2012
Optional Features, Art San Diego 2012 | Contemporary Art Fair 2012
Gothic, Orange County Center For Contemporary Art 2012
MOveMENT, The Metal Arts Guild of San Francisco (MAG) 2011
MATTER, The Bakery Gallery, San Diego, CA 2011
New Contemporaries IV, San Diego Visual Arts Network 2011
Sculpture in the Garden, San Diego Fine Art Society 2011
Here Not There: San Diego Art Now, MCASD 2010
Chair For The Page, Guggenheim Gallery Chapman University 2010
Local Forms that Function, Design Within Reach, San Diego, CA 2007
Juried Biennial, Cannon Art Gallery, Carlsbad, CA 2007
Literary Print in the 21st Century, Cranbrook Art Museum 2004
Detroit Design Show, Detroit Artist Market 2003
Critical Mass, Detroit Museum of New Art 2003
Degree Show, Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum 2002
Public Collections
City of Palm Desert Art in Public Places
San DIego Central Public Library
Daimler Chrysler Collection
Public Art Commisions
Art in Public Places Brea California, Brea, CA 2023
Art in Public Places Brea California, Brea, CA 2022
LAX 5959, Los Angeles, CA 2019
Jefferson Stadium Park, Anaheim, CA 2019
Bloc: Lane Field South, San Diego, CA 2018
Cerritos Trees, City of Cerritos, CA 2016
Hilton Harborview Hotel, San Diego, CA 2016
San Diego County Library, Alpine, CA 2016
HUB Hillcrest, San Diego, CA 2014
La Jolla Crossroads, La Jolla, CA 2014
You Are Here, San Diego, CA 2013
Tom Ham's Lighthouse, San Diego, CA 2013
Higuera Garage, Culver City, CA 2013
Steelhouse Offices, Culver City, CA 2013
Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Artist Registry 2011-12
San Francisco Arts Commission, Bay Area Artist Registry 2011-12
John Wayne Airport, Orange County, Terminal C, short-list 2011
San Diego County Operations Center, San Diego, CA 2010
City of Greeley Public Art, Sculpture on Loan 2010
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Headquarters, short-list 2010
San Diego International Airport, Terminal 1, short-list 2010
Miami-Dade, Jackson South Community Hospital, short-list 2010
Alameda County Arts Commissio, Site-specific Artist Registry 2010
Ocean Beach Comfort Station, short-list 2009
Private Commissions
Life Science Properties, San Diego, CA 2022
Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, CA 2022
Davies Residence, La Jolla, CA 2021
Jacobs Residence, La Jolla, CA 2021
Alexandria Real Estate Equities HQ, Los Angeles, CA 2019
Culture Yard, Irvine, CA 2019
SLS Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV 2019
Fort Stockton, San Diego, CA 2018
LOT Cinema, La Jolla, CA 2015
Dolgen Residence, San Diego, CA 2015
Kassel Residence, San Diego, CA 2015
Kilroy Realty Corp, San Diego, CA 2015
Parallel Capital Partners, San Diego, CA 2015
Search Optics, San Diego, CA 2014
Shaughnessy Residence, San Clemente, CA 2014
Hubbard Residence, La Jolla, CA 2014
The Cresta, La Jolla, CA 2013
The Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine 2012
Boomerang for Modern, San Diego, CA 2007
Bibliography
Galerie, The Creative Minds Issue, Spring 2019
Modern Luxury, Society & Culture - Groundbreaking Art, January 2019
SD Union Tribune, What San Diego’s Art Scene Aspires to Be, Dec 2018
Pacific San Diego, Anticipation Swells, December 2018
Voice of San Diego, Unmasking Public Artists, November 2018
SDVoyager, Meet Christopher Puzio, August 2018
Modern Luxury, 7 Top Art Influencers, December 2016
San Diego Home / Garden, Take A Cue, October 2016
Interiors California, Shape-Shifter, April 2015
San Diego Home / Garden, Stars of San Diego, January 2015
Pacific Magazine, RE: Creation, By Patricia Dwyer, April 2014
New York Times, The 28-Year Plan, By Sarah Amelar, March 19, 2014
Molecular Aesthetics, Peter Weibel, editor, MIT Press 2013
ARUP Connect, Controlled Randomness 2013
San Diego Union Tribune, Island Arbor Dedication, 2013
Riviera Magazine, Art Power, 2012
San Diego Home & Garden, Architectural Digress, 2011
SD Union Tribune, Museum of Contemporary Art: 'Here Not There' 2010
Riviera Magazine, All’s Good in the Wood, 2010
San Diego CityBeat Magazine, Mix, Shake, Serve 2009
SD Union Tribune, Ghost Rider & Friends, By Robert L. Pincus, 2008
Riviera Magazine, Designers in Residence, 2007
San Diego CityBeat Magazine, Straight and Simple, 2007
306090 05, Teaching + Building, Princeton Architectural Press, 2003
Hyle 9, Philosophy / Chemistry / Art, University of Karlsruhe, 2003
Lectures
New Sculpture Artist Talk, Quint Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA 2022
Designers In Real Time, San Diego State University 2014
Recent Work, SDMA Contemporary Art Committee 2012
Shop Life, California Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA 2012
My House, Dwell on Design Conference / Dwell Magazine, 2009
Holy Ghost / University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 2007
Constellation of Elements, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 2006
Teaching
University of San Diego:
ARTV 105 Introduction to Sculpture 2014
ARTV 369 Intermediate/ Advanced Sculpture 2013
Woodbury School of Architecture San Diego:
AR.384.D1 Design Studio 3B: Structure, Systems, Space & Form 2019
AR.384.D1 Design Studio 3B: Structure, Systems, Space & Form 2014
ARCH.281.D1 Design Studio 2A: Program And Spacecraft 2013
ARCH.3708.D1 Furniture Design 2013
ARCH.281.D1 Design Studio 2A: Program And Spacecraft 2012
ARCH.3703.D1 Material Production Studio 2012
ARCH.281.D1 Design Studio 2A: Program And Spacecraft 2011
ARCH.3703.D1 Material Production Studio 2011
ARCH.491.D2 Design Studio 5A: Contemporary Topics Studio 2010
ARCH.384.D2 Design Studio 3B: Structure, Systems, Space & Form 2010
AR.487.D2 Design Studio 5A: Design Build Topics Studio 2009
AR.384.D1 Design Studio 3B: Structure, Systems, Space & Form 2009
AR.3734.D1 Material Production Studio 2008
AR.370 Fe Studio: Metal Shop 2007
Press
Galerie, March 2019 ![]()

Modern Luxury, January 2019![]()

San Diego Union Tribune, December 2018![]()

Pacific San Diego, December 2018![]()

Voice of San Diego, November 2018![]()

Wescover, September 2018![]()

SDVoyager, August 2018![]()

San Diego Home / Garden, October 2016![]()

Interiors California, April 2015![]()

San Diego Home / Garden, January 2015![]()

Pacific Magazine, April 2014

New York Times, March 2014 (click image for article and image gallery)

ARUP Connect, September 2013 (click image for ezine article)

San Diego Union Tribune, May 2013

Riviera Magazine, December 2012

San Diego Home / Garden, July 2011

Riviera Magazine, April 2010


Video
Artist Profile : Christopher Puzio from Charles Bergquist.