Stanley Yeager of Montville, NJ, has always carried an inner compulsion to create, an impulse first expressed as a boy through drawing, building model airplanes, and sculpting small figures. For many years, this creative drive surfaced sporadically but was suppressed beneath the demands of a chosen dental profession and family responsibilities.

A lifelong collector of antiques and fine art, Stan also studied music, traveled extensively, and pursued a degree in art history. While he found the academic study of art both appealing and challenging, it ultimately made him realize that he needed to physically create rather than simply examine the work of others. In 1995, he purchased his first case of Chavant clay and began to experiment, explore, and sculpt, discovering a self-taught artistry guided by the delicate precision of a dentist’s touch and the soul of someone seeking to understand and express the human condition.

Stan earned his undergraduate degree in Zoology from Rutgers University in 1969 and his Doctor of Dental Medicine from Farleigh Dickinson University in 1973. For over 33 years, he maintained his own dental practice specializing in restorative prosthetics, yet his deepest fulfillment came from sculpture.

One of his most meaningful works, From the Ashes, was inspired by the bravery and loss witnessed on 9/11. Compelled to honor the fallen heroes, Stanley submitted his design for the 9/11 Memorial among 5,200 proposals. Although not selected, the piece remains a powerful expression of grief, respect, and resilience.

Now Stan is the proud owner of The Hunter Gallery where he shares his sculptures with the public, inviting viewers to engage with his work on multiple levels, whether through an instinctive emotional connection or an appreciation of form and craftsmanship. Each piece serves as a mirror, reflecting the viewer’s own experiences and emotions.