Mario Chiodo
In every creature, there is inherent beauty, and I strive to find the shapes and lines that best define that unique individuality. – Mario Chiodo
As destiny would have it, Mario Chiodo was sculpting mud he dug from the yard as a small boy. Born to Italian parents, family visits to Italy only fueled his desire. He has vivid memories of Michaelangelo’s Pieta and The Four Slaves emerging from stone, works that impressed upon him dynamic gesture and the depth of emotion possible in sculpture. Chiodo was fortunate to be pulled from traditional middle school and sent to a hybrid school for the arts where he flourished.
Discovered as a young man sculpting likenesses, Chiodo has been a professional sculptor involved in massive creative projects, private or public commissions, and epic monuments over the last 35 years. ​
Mario Chiodo has been the designer and lead sculptor of his own diverse creative art business for over 40 years. Beginning in the 1980’s, Chiodo entered the art world through the Halloween industry, quickly becoming a leading designer of seasonal wearables and décor, revolutionizing the industry with his enigmatic design. Chiodo was granted licensing rights to create popular collectibles for major film studios such as Lucas Films, Warner Brothers, Disney, Paramount Pictures, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Universal Studios. This success resulted in Chiodo becoming a public company in the 1990’s expanding his position in the consumer product industry.
Simultaneously, themed architecture was exploding in the 90’s and Chiodo received requests for site specific sculpture all over the country. Mario worked closely with the Harrah’s Corporation and was responsible for many of the spectacular themed projects in Las Vegas and New Orleans such as the massive History of Jazz exhibit. Chiodo’s dynamic artworks have been commissioned for everything from themed restaurants, clubs, casinos, hotels, museum exhibits, a children’s theme park, and even Google headquarters. Chiodo was honored to be chosen to sculpt the founder of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, General Hubert Harmon.
Chiodo has created his own series of Fine Art editions which explore the theatre of humanity including the mythology that lives in a cultural mindset, such as the evocative Four Seasons inspired by Napa Valley. A master storyteller, his artwork transcends mere visual facts and reveals the inner soul, thoughts and emotion of his subjects.
