Bill Wilson

Niagara Falls native Bill Wilson was an accomplished artist. His prize-winning works have made their way into museums, galleries, and private collections throughout the United States, Europe, and Canada. The diversity of his work can be seen in varied places, such as Madam Tussaud's Wax Museums, The Homer Watson Art Museum, jewelry lines for Wedgewood of England, International Silver Company, and Blue Mountain Pottery of Collingwood, Ontario.

He studied painting at Niagara County Community College. He then took up an apprenticeship under noted Canadian portrait painter Thomas Cayley.  After establishing himself as a prize-winning painter, he then started sculpting. Sculpture soon became Wilson's forte. He studied portrait sculpture under Professor Paul Atkins at State University of New York at Buffalo. His mold-making skills were enhanced by the Polytech Institute in Lebanon, New Jersey.

Wilson taught drawing related to sculpture at Niagara University and demonstrated sculpture technique in all sculpture mediums to various art groups.  He served for eighteen years as President of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Art Society. He has been included in the "Who's Who in America" for his sculptures. As a volunteer he has generously donated his time and artwork to several regional nonprofit groups for fund raising. Wilson was especially pleased to be chosen as the recipient of the Millicent Heller "Volunteer of the Year Award," given by the Burchfield Penney Art Center.

Bill Wilson has been commissioned to create sculptures for the Snapple Tea Company in New York, NY, WNED, TV Channel 17 in Buffalo, NY and Sisters of Mercy, in Buffalo, NY.

Some of his commissions also include Large Outdoor Sculptures for the Starpoint School Courtyard and the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center. He has also created several pieces for private collections.

Artist Statement.

In the past, I have worked with all sculptural materials. This includes stone, wood, clay, plaster, bronze, and fiberglass. Over the years, the sculptures ran the gamut from ultra-realistic to totally nonrepresentational.

Presently, I'm working with welded recycled steel. It affords me the opportunity to utilize the interesting aspects of negative space. The steel can be twisted and readily bent making it a versatile medium to work with.

The welding process lets one be very spontaneous and use a direct approach to sculpture.

The finished pieces are gravity-defying in appearance and range from tiny to heroic in size.   

Bio and artist statement courtesy of Mary Joy Murphy.