Felix Velez was born on the island of Puerto Rico. When he was 16 years old, he began creating wire sculptures and selling them on the beaches to American tourists. At the age of 20 he moved to the United States. Today, this self-taught artist is internationally known for his life-size bronzes. His sculptures can be found in public buildings, hotels and private collections around the world.

Although Felix works in many materials, such as wood, wire and modeling clay, his favorite is bronze. In fact, he is one of the few sculptors who once owned his own bronze foundry. As the demand for his work increased, he found it necessary to abandon the foundry, giving him more time to be creative. He continues to look for ways to be efficient in casting, finishing and marketing so he can spend more time creating sculptures.

Felix specializes in customized pieces for buildings and homes. He draws his ideas and creativity from nature, which he calls his greatest inspiration. Wildlife and the human figure are his favorite subjects. "God has created the human body and it is very interesting with its muscles and movements. The main thing is to capture the moment and make it life like." He says he chose sculpture over other art forms because of the three dimensional effect. "It's more life like," he states. "Some people will pet a wildlife sculpture as if it were alive."

Florida's Volusia County commissioned him to create the life-size sculpture entitled "Golden Moments", which is on display at the DeLand library. Seaworld in California purchased "Under My Protection", the life-size sculpture of a manatee and her calf. Measuring 11 feet in length, it is the largest work he as done. His works range from playful dolphins and mermaids to a thoughtful Albert Einstein.