Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Nathan Olson Snyder is currently a Santa Barbara based artist whose focus is on site-specific commissions and sculptures.
Driven by contemporary influences and deeper philosophic questions, his work is inspired by the relationship of form to space.
When asked why he chose sculpture and his chosen materials, Snyder responded that “because of its three dimensionality, sculpture is the art form that best expresses the way we naturally relate to the real world. I chose materials from our environment- metal, stone, and wood– that create a profound and intriguing visual dialogue when used together.”
Using the tradition of abstraction, Snyder’s work deals directly with the concepts of form and space as the building blocks of our reality. “In the right relationship to one another, these elements create beauty and harmony. My work is about exploring this connection. What I’ve discovered is that it is our relationships with one another and the environment that create beauty and meaning in our lives. I am striving to understand and embody this truth in my work and sculpture.”
Initially, Snyder focused his education on becoming a reconstructive surgeon, but experienced an epiphany that his real dream was to be an artist. He redirected his desire to use his hands to heal the human body into creating art that would heal and enliven the human spirit. In 2004, Snyder was finally able to dedicate himself fully to his art.
Snyder’s exceptional sculptures are now in several publicly commissioned spaces and are eagerly sought by collectors for display in prestigious private collections around the world. He enjoys challenging himself creatively through new and unusual projects, commissions and sculptures. His passion as an artist continues to deepen, as he lives his dream of creating art and sculpture that inspires and brings beauty into people’s lives.
When not working on his art, Snyder is energized by his natural surroundings through his pursuits of surfing, rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and sky diving.