Illeagle

The Wisconsin-based sculptor Bill Reid is known for his witty and fantasy-filled sculptures of animals inspired by word play. Indeed, animal puns fill his own writings about his art! While most of his sculptures today are larger in scale and constructed out of steel, his earlier works are primarily in ceramic. They nonetheless show the same sense of humor and joy that has been a hallmark of the artist’s career. When speaking of his process, Reid says: “My process of working is elemental; using only a few hand tools and the heat of the torch I build my creatures out of thin sheets of metal and steel rods. Even as a young boy, I was drawn to the siren call of fire. Like a detective, I turn on the heat until the steel talks. Like an astronomer, I study faint sparks of light in the distance and I try to bring them closer by telling their stories about life in the mowzone layer.” The artist received his Master of Fine Arts from the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. His work has gained him numerous awards and has allowed him dozens of exhibitions across the country.