Lyle Sopel’s masterful and rare talent of sculpting Jade and wide varieties of challenging gemstones has earned him international recognition and admiration. 

In 1987, National Geographic acclaimed Lyle as one the world’s best contemporary Jade Artists. Now, more than three decades into an unparalleled career, Lyle’s ability to carve such exquisite fluidity, detail and life in such unruly materials puts him in a league of his own. 

Jade, harder that steel, actually appears malleable under Lyle’s gifts. The artist may begin with a gargantuan bolder - weighing up to two-tonnes initially. With careful precision and an extraordinary gift, Lyle creates graceful, inspiring, and singular Jade sculptures.

In order to carve such incredibly hard and difficult gemstones, Lyle’s tools themselves are sights to behold. Using thousands of diamond-tipped tools for a given piece, so much heat is produced during the incredible carving process that Lyle needs a constant stream of cold running water going over his materials. All the while, any incorrect maneuver around the gemstones and flowing water could destroy the entire piece - even on the last day of carving. 

What continues to separate Lyle’s already extraordinary ability is the wide range of gemstones used in his works. Whether it be Lapis Lazuli, Quartz, Ruby, or many other laborious gemstones, each possess a unique challenge which Lyle overcomes. To possess such an exceptional skill over such a wide variety of materials makes Lyle unmatched in his medium.

Today, the celebrated artist is sought after for private collections worldwide. His work is housed in the fine art collections of heads of state, art connoisseurs and royalty from around the globe including Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr., and the Aga Khan.