He is a soft-spoken man, with just a touch of the Arkansas flavor in his voice, attesting to his birthplace, even though he spent most of his years in West Texas. Lincoln Fox, locally and nationally known for his fine bronzes which depict people from small to life-size sculptures, was not always so comfortable in the style he has chosen for his art expression. "I had all of the rules down. My work was detailed and technical, but it didn’t have any life – it just wasn’t working," Lincoln said.

Lincoln discovered his interest in art while in grade school and so decided to pursue it in college. He attended a two-year junior college in San Angelo, Texas, and continued his studies at the University of Texas in Austin. "I hated school – I wanted to play. I got poor grades until I went to college," Lincoln said. Lincoln said he was a frustrated artist all along. "I was never an instant genius." Lincoln said he figured stubbornness and dedication helped him refine his artistic talents.

While in junior high, Lincoln worked at a television station in San Angelo as s staff artist. He then worked his way up to cameraman and director. "It was fun – like drawing and painting in the third dimension." Also while in high school, Lincoln met Rachelle who is now his wife and shares in the work and travels of her husband.

Although Lincoln was earning A’s and the praise of his instructors while in college, he still felt his art didn’t have any life. "I used to copy models. I figured if the instructors thought it was good, they must know. But art is such an unusual field. What’s beautiful for one person is atrocious to another. It’s difficult to be judgmental.

It’s like judging a person; you judge them according to your own and society’s standards. As Van Gogh said, ‘Truth doesn’t change – only our interpretation of it does’," Lincoln said. For an example, Lincoln pointed out his experience with Sierra Blanca, of which he has a view from his deck. "Every morning, the first thing I do is look at the mountain. It always looks different." Following along with the idea of changing, Lincoln said when a person changes inside, he also changes outside. "It’s a continual process."

Lincoln continued his study of art by earning a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Kansas. "I was supposed to be ‘professional’ but I said to myself, ‘I know this work stinks.’ But I looked at history and saw other artists had it – their work was alive," Lincoln said. Lincoln decided to study the works of famous sculptors he admired to find out what made their work alive. "It was devastating for me," Lincoln said.

In other works, such as those of Henry Moore, Rodin and Michelangelo, Lincoln found distortion to be the key to making the work come alive. "I started seeing it for the first time. The figures were wrong anatomically, but they had life. I realized that all of life that is communication is distortion," Lincoln said, trying to explain his philosophy that so much influences his work. You can’t communicate without distortion. Dancing, music, real people talking – all use distortion for communication." Lincoln explained that in normal music or art, people are ready for the crescendo, or the climax, but by using distortion, an artist can keep the excitement and attention of his audience. "Exaggeration and distortion make the art exciting. The artist is seeing differently than anyone else in the whole world. It may not be better, but it’s different," Lincoln said.

Nearly 16 years have passed since Lincoln made the discovery that gives him satisfaction in his work as well as sells his pieces. "After that, I had twice as much fun. I let things happen. It’s a delight. If I want to do something squirrelly, I do it."

Most of Lincoln’s work has been limited to bronzes; however, with a recent purchase of 10 tons of marble, he is ready to do some work in marble sculpting. The two concepts are entirely opposite, according to Lincoln. While bronzes are made from the inside out, stone carving is done from the outside in. Excitement laces Lincoln’s voice when he talks about the stone carving. "Every lovely scratch you make on that stone is your scratch," he said. Lincoln plans to start working seriously on stone carvings soon. While he may cast a series of 20 or more bronzes from one mold, in his stone carving, each will be an exclusive piece.

Excitement and a desire to understand the mind influences Lincoln’s work as well as his personality. His studio, designed according to his own specifications, is serviceable, but hospitable. He always has a pot of coffee on his wood burning stove to offer his guests. Lincoln is as much home there as he is in Carrara, Italy or wherever he travels. Rachelle and Lincoln travel extensively around the world, searching for new concepts to add to his knowledge of art. "When I travel, I’m like a sponge – you squeeze me out in to my work. The biggest benefit of travelling is exposure – I use it to double-check my work. We do a lot of research."

Lincoln has taught art at the University of Texas at Austin, part time at the University of Kansas and three years at a junior college in Amarillo, Texas. "I love teaching. It’s beautiful working with fine young students. But while I was teaching, I couldn’t quit thinking about my art," Lincoln said.

Shortly after that, Lincoln and Rachelle came to Ruidoso to housesit for some friends. For 11 years they have lived here and now consider it home. "I’m hooked on Ruidoso. I love northern Arizona and California. I love a lot of places, but this is home. I could be happy anywhere, but I can be happier here," Lincoln said, with a smile.

Not quite 40 years old, Lincoln seems to have found his niche in life. He and Rachelle share the work of Lincoln’s profession as well as the pleasures that go along with it. "The very work is experience. At 120, I’ll feel I’ll have scratched the surface. You’d get tired of it if you thought you knew it. I’ll never retire," Lincoln said. Lincoln grinned and said, "I enjoy the money, but I do it because I love it."