Christopher Ries grew up on an Ohio farm. After receiving a BFA in glass and ceramics from The Ohio State University, Ries worked as an assistant to Harvey K. Littleton, a professor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison (UWM) and founder of the American studio glass movement. Ries earned an MFA in glass from UWM.

Though initially he blew glass, by the late 1970's he was sculpting glass cold by cutting, grinding, and polishing it in his home studio. Ries acquired blocks of pure, clear lead crystal cast from Schott Glass Technologies of Duryea, Pennsylvania. Today, he also serves Schott Glass as artist-in-residence.

Some of his works are the largest, whole, unassembled pieces of sculpted crystal known. The art of Christopher Ries is deceptively simple in form but complex in expression as it engages each viewer in an ever changing intimate world of images.