Calamari , wood sculpture by Lee Littlefield ( 1936-2013)

46”W x 39”H x 34”D

Vivid, exuberant, and unmistakably alive, Calamari stands as a major sculptural statement by Lee Littlefield, one of Houston’s most distinctive late-20th- and early-21st-century artists. Rising in a burst of sinuous, tentacle-like forms, the sculpture appears to unfurl and reach outward, blurring the line between plant, creature, and pure imagination.

Carved and assembled from wood, then coated in a radiant yellow finish, Calamari embodies Littlefield’s signature language: organic abstraction infused with humor, movement, and a sense of joyful menace. The curling arms twist and arc through space, creating a dynamic silhouette that shifts dramatically as the viewer moves around the piece. Though static, the sculpture feels animated—caught mid-growth, mid-reach, mid-performance.

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The title Calamari nods playfully to marine life, yet the work resists literal representation. Instead, it channels Littlefield’s lifelong fascination with living systems—bayou vegetation, invasive growth, and forms that seem to sprout, bend, and mutate in response to their environment. This tension between the familiar and the fantastical is central to Littlefield’s practice and places Calamari squarely within his most mature sculptural period.

Painted wood lends the work a warmth and immediacy distinct from metal or stone. The material choice reinforces the sculpture’s approachable, almost mischievous character, while allowing for the exaggerated curves and gestures that define Littlefield’s visual vocabulary. As with many of his works, the bright color amplifies the piece’s pop sensibility, echoing the artist’s well-known public “pop-up” sculptures that punctuated Houston’s highways and green spaces.

Condition is consistent with the medium and scale: the sculpture shows some small, natural cracks throughout the wood, inherent to the material and its construction. Importantly, all elements remain intact, with no broken or missing tentacles.

Calamari is both playful and commanding—a significant example of Littlefield’s sculptural output that captures his ability to transform natural materials into exuberant, creature-like forms. It is a work that radiates energy, humor, and confidence, embodying the artist’s belief that sculpture should feel alive, surprising, and slightly untamed.

Early 2000’s

Texas Artist