ADA, Okla. – “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”
Little could Chickasaw artist Christopher Gross know Charles Dickens’ words – written 161 years earlier – would mirror his life so dramatically.
His journey began in 2020 during a global pandemic.
While performing his duties remotely, Gross did something else, too.
He learned to craft wood, use a lathe, chisels and other tools to shape beautiful bowls, vases and even a propane tank effigy paying homage to television cartoon character Hank Hill from the hit television series “King of the Hill.”
How did he accomplish this?
“Watching a lot of YouTube,” he said with delight. “I would fulfill my work duties, and then I was watching a lot of television. That’s not me,” Gross said matter-of-factly.
“I am curious and love learning. I watched those woodworking professionals on YouTube and said to myself, ‘I can do that.’”
Gross has been doing it for five years with an abundance of success, joy, frustration, trial and error.
Gross, a transportation specialist III with the Chickasaw Nation Department of Community Services, will be on hand April 5 for the 12th Annual Artesian Arts Festival in Sulphur, Oklahoma.
He will have 25-30 beautifully crafted works available for patrons to enjoy and purchase.
Gross is still deciding which one of two works he will enter into the juried art show.
“Candy Bowl II with Lid” is a multi-wood, highly intricate piece using four distinct woods: cherry, walnut, maple and teak. Gross calls the work a “checkerboard” design.
“There is an immense amount of work that went into that piece. Shaping the bowl with a lathe, while cutting all the pieces of wood and gingerly putting them in place was satisfying, but also challenging,” Gross said. “I believe that piece took 35 hours to complete.”
The second option is titled “Indian Blanket.” Its design elicits the detailed blankets traded by First Americans for centuries. It is full of rich colors with complicated wood designs, shapes, symbols and symmetry.
This April’s festival is not his first. The success he has enjoyed with new creative endeavors is an inspirational story since Gross is completely self-taught.
He exhibited works at the 2023 Hushtola Art Market, where his work finished second in sculpting. He participated in the 2023 Artesian Arts Festival as well.
Much to his amazement, he sold almost every piece of art at both Chickasaw Nation shows.
“I pretty much sold out the first day of a two-day show. I had two or three items left in my inventory. I was pleased. I can say woodworking has become a passion. What I didn’t sell, I put on consignment. There is a piece of work currently entered in the Chickasaw Nation Employee Art Show, and one of my bowls is on display at the new culture and humanities building on North Mississippi,” he said.
“I let the wood tell me what it wants to be,” Gross said. “I never start a project now without studying the wood’s grain, shape and texture of what the wood wants to become.”
He buys wood and finds wood. “I’d say right now it is a little of both. I do purchase wood on Amazon, but I am also working with wood I found by the side of the road,” he said with a laugh.
“When I first started out, I found a small lathe for about $300 on Amazon. I wore that thing out in four months. So, I purchased a second lathe from a reputable manufacturer, and I wore it out too,” he said. “I decided to turn my garage into a woodworking studio, complete with all kinds of tools – bandsaws, chisels, fine wood tools and a 5-foot-long ‘Grizzly’ lathe that has held up to everything I’ve thrown at it. I could have purchased a Buick for what I paid for that lathe.”
Gross is a member of the Chickasaw Honor Guard. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1995-1999. He said it was an honor to serve the country, adding he was introduced to the world by being a Marine.
“I traveled abroad a lot. I was stationed in Australia, Guam, Okinawa and transitioned out of the military at Twentynine Palms military base in California,” Gross said.
He is a father to 11-year-old Evan Dale, who is showing interest in also creating works of art.
“He still likes his video games,” Gross explained. “Evan is interested in the process. I’ll help him get started. He knows any time he wants to dabble and learn, I’ll be there for him.”
Evan is in fifth grade and attends Willard Grade Center in Ada.
Gross was introduced to carpentry by his late Chickasaw father, Steven, when he was approximately 9 years old.
“During summer, I had to work with him building things. At the time, I wasn’t that thrilled to be there. I would have rather been playing with friends, but I realize now just how much my father taught me,” he said.
He credits his mother, Barbara Walker, with the dominant art gene. “She is very creative and is constantly working on something.” She resides in Missouri.
As with any artist, Gross battles himself with pricing his work.
“My overhead is pretty bad, but I try not to pass it on to customers. Bowls and vases can go from $25 to $200. I’d say the average price of my art would be $60,” he said.
For more information about the Artesian Arts Festival, visit ArtesianArtsFestival.com