Born in Idaho in 1942, Bill was influenced by the strong character and independent spirit of people who made the American West. Moving to Prescott, Arizona as a boy is where his respect for the cowboy developed. In 1964 Bill was inspired by the work of George Phippen and has been sculpting for over forty years telling the stories of cowboys, Indians, lawmen, settlers, and the animals of this great land. Becoming one of the Cowboy Artists of America in 1978, and calling the other CA members his friends and colleagues is the greatest honor of his career. Recently, in conjunction with the Arizona Historical Society and State Historian Marshall Trimble, Bill has been named as a 2009 Arizona Culturekeeper, which recognizes individuals who have made a positive impact on Arizona’s history, culture or economy, and are pioneers of Arizona through family ties, business, civic leadership or passionate contributions to a cause that is distinctly Arizona.

A large part of Bill’s artistic excellence is the detail, authenticity and personal, hands-on experience which exudes from his sculptures. Viewers instinctively know they are truly “the way it was,” and are instantly transported to another place and time, to sense the story, smell the dust and feel the heat that flows from his art. Most of his creations are of things he has done, people he knows or places he has been. When he sculpts Native Americans he researches their culture, clothing, weapons and symbols to be sure his depiction is historically accurate, with the dignity they deserve.

Bill’s bronze sculptures can be found in the permanent collections of such prominent museums as the Basha Museum, Booth Museum of Western Art, Cheyenne Old West Museum, Desert Caballeros Museum, Eiteljorg Museum, Museum of Western Art, National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Palm Desert Museum, Phippen Museum, and Phoenix Art Museum. He is represented by Trailside Galleries in Scottsdale and Jackson, and Mountain Spirit Gallery in Prescott, Arizona.