Quest was inspired by my son, who is currently immersed in the research and documentation of other cultures. The idea of the figure is to portray that time in someone’s life when he finds something that he is passionately interested in – and begins to pursue it, independently, with no parental prodding. He’s ‘into it’. It’s the love of learning for learning’s sake. Quest represents when a young person (or really, any age person) is motivated by his own interests and goals. Quest could be a birthday gift or graduation gift, or a thank you gift to a teacher/mentor who may have sparked an interest in a young mind.

My Mum gave me this today for Christmas. It is not usually the type of thing she would give me. I have just been offered a job in America and have decided to take it. I will be leaving Ireland to work in Maine looking after kids with mental health problems. This gift was so thoughtful and inspiring. It is something that I will always cherish and is symbolic of the Quest I am about to embark on in my new life. Thank You Mum I love you so much.
The first time I saw this figure I gasped because it so perfectly represents my son. He has a learning disability that seriously affected his social skills while growing up. Thus he often turned to books as solace for his loneliness. As a young adult he continues to struggle socially, but he is making progress. Still, he loves books and, like the figurine, always has several "going" at once. Our family joke is "Don't bother asking him what he wants for his birthday or Christmas because there is only one answer--books!"
I have two wonderful boys, and I saw the boy reading the book called "Quest." Since it was their first day of college today I finally gave it to them before they left this morning. We talked about the future, and the quest they were starting today. I hope they know that with this small gift to remind them, they will always be on a journey and to enjoy life, that they are the greatest gift God ever gave me!