Bill Nebeker
CAA Member since 1978
Born: November 13, 1942
Education: University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University
As a member of the Cowboy Artists of America since 1978, Nebeker is now the senior active member, making 46 years of annual CA Exhibitions. He is honored to have served four terms as President of CAA and privileged to have worked alongside the greats in this field; Joe Beeler, Howard Terpning, Bill Owen, Tom Ryan, Fred Fellows, James Reynolds, as well as the many other great, but not forgotten CA masters.
Living on the Long Meadow Ranch near Prescott, Arizona as a boy watching his father as a working cowboy, filled Bill’s life with horses, cattle, roundups, and brandings. Stories of the local Yavapai tribal traditions, and their raids on the nearby Historic American Ranch and stage stop developed his imagination about Native American tribes, culture, weapons and ceremonies. Whether his art depicts cowboys working cattle, cutting or rope horses, old west outlaws, famous lawmen, or Indigenous tribal cultures, those who see Nebeker’s sculptures can almost smell, feel and sense the emotions of his stories in bronze.
Recognized as one of the preeminent sculptors of the horse and cowboy, Bill has working experience on several Arizona ranches, including the K4 and Lobo Ranch in the Prescott area, and the ORO outside of Prescott. He has participated in team roping events around the country and at the Arizona Cowpunchers Reunion Rodeos which gives his sculptures the real flavor of life in the Old West, as well as today’s contemporary ranching and livestock industries.
Bill did a life-sized portrait bronze sculpture of Robert C. Norris, past President of AQHA and National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Board of Trusties. This statue stands in front of the Norris/Penrose Center at Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs. Another of Nebeker’s portrait bronze sculptures of John Wayne is in the permanent collection of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. In April of 2024 he unveiled a larger-than-life bronze statue at the Prescott Regional Airport of WWI fighter pilot and Prescott Hometown Hero, Ernest A. Love. This is his fourth public monumental bronze sculpture for his hometown of Prescott, Arizona.
