SILVIO APPONYI OAM was born in Germany, emigrating at the age of 18 months. Since childhood he has been whittling and carving wood. After attending the SA School of Art he studied at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts in 1972. Since 1988 he has been a full-time artist, specialising in endangered Australian fauna. He has public sculptures in Australia and overseas and was the founder of the Adelaide Hills International Sculpture Symposium and the Hills Sculpture Trail. His current passion is mentoring younger artists, promoting traditional stone sculpture.