Joseph Quillan
“Sea Turtles are such brave souls. I am amazed by the challenges they must meet in order to survive. Escaping from leathery shells, then frenzied wriggling as they struggle to climb out of their sandy nest, only to be confronted by predators looking for helpless prey. In my imagination, they are always rescued by their best friend, the ocean.” ~ Joseph Quillan
Joseph Quillan connects directly with the vulnerability of his subjects, sharing with us the spirit of these magical creatures through love and imagination. Outwardly delightful, uniquely sensitive, each bronze casting is meticulously handcrafted with extraordinary attention to detail, and highlighted with sparkling and colorful patinas.
Quillan’s love of our oceans has been his inspiration, and in his hands, he creates poetry in bronze. For over 40 years, Joseph has used his unparalleled talents to faithfully sculpt and record the beauty of our planet’s ocean turtles, earning him recognition as the world's most accomplished sculptor of sea turtles.
As the sculptor of the most prestigious award in sea turtle research, Joseph has captured the spirit of sea turtles through his hand sculpted, hand cast, award winning bronzes. Peers have called his sculpture, “the foundation of marine life art”. And though collected by conservationists, royalty and celebrities, Joseph still sees himself as that kid who sits for hours on that beach, honored to share precious moments with his sea turtles.