I cannot say in words what I communicate visually. The internal dialog that occurs while I’m working augments the process but does not explain the result. Good work stands independent of its making. To appreciate art is to be sensitive to your own responses to it.
Biography
I find the imagery available in non-objective art limitless and sometimes overwhelming so early on I made the decision to set parameters within which to work. I decided to look for sophisticated aesthetics in simple forms and concepts. The early sculptures were all made using the same basic shape, the first shape my hands made patting around a wad of clay. It was roughly a pear shape and I made a number of pieces with it: bubblegum machines, refrigerators, bible scenes and ecological statements. There was non-objective work as well but most of the pieces had some frame of reference to real objects. Nevertheless I decided to call it non-objective folk art, because of the simple, naïve imagery, and sought to further define it and operate within its parameters.
Eventually the forms evolved to a simple geometry. I also broadened the scope of materials used from ceramic to cast resin, carved wood, forged and fabricated metals, and cast metals. However forged and fabricated bronze captured my attention most. Working directly with sheet metal to create three-dimensional forms brings a raw honesty to the sculpture, and bronze that is well worked adds a rich unique quality.
The work has also evolved conceptually. I still explore non-objective folk art but use it as direction rather than definition. And instead of relying on a frame of reference I now rely on depth of character in a piece to provide conceptual value.
I look to communicate sophisticated aesthetics with a simple visual language that is honest and well worked.
BILL WEAVER
BORN: 1952, Des Moines, Iowa
Currently resides in Santa Fe County, New Mexico
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE
1977 Bachelor of Arts, Metropolitan State College, Denver CO
1974-78 Apprenticeship, Edgar Britton, bronze sculptor, Littleton CO
1970-72 Apprenticeship, Ole’ Jorgenson, wood sculptor, Des Moines IA
MEDIA & PUBLIC ENDORSEMENT
2011 SOLO EXHIBITION: Littleton Museum, Littleton CO (an Affiliate of the Smithsonian
Institution)
2009 FINALIST for the 2010 State of New Mexico Acclaimed Artists Series
2007 FEATURE ARTICLE, Sculptural Pursuit magazine, Spring issue
2006 SELECTED ARTIST for the third biannual Acclaimed Artists’ Series by the Art in Public Places
Program of New Mexico
2005 ACQUISITION: “Edge & Point”, by the Littleton Museum, Littleton CO, 1% for the Arts
2004 COMMISSION: “Stars Over Mountains with Pine Trees and People”, a 6.5' x 9' bronze wall
relief for the Littleton Museum, Littleton CO (an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution) for
the lobby of a new museum facility, dedicated 1/29/05
2002 SELECTED ARTIST for the Acclaimed Artists’ Series by the Art in Public Places Program of
New Mexico
2001 ACQUISITION by the New Mexico 1% for the Arts, 6' bronze wall relief for the Bernalillo
County Courthouse, Albuquerque NM;
ACKNOWLEDGED in “The Erotic Art of Edgar Britton” by Jane Hilberry, published by
“Documents of Colorado Art” Ocean View Books; forward by William Weaver
1990 FEATURED ARTIST in “Colores” PBS-TV series on contemporary New Mexico artists
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS AND COMMISSIONS
2015 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM; Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX; Hulse Warman, Gallery, Taos, NM
2014 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: GF Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM; Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX; Hulse Warman, Gallery, Taos, NM
2013 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas, TX; Hulse Warman Gallery, Taos, NM; A Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2012 GROUP and SOLO EXHIBITIONS: Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas TX; A Gallery,
Santa Fe NM; Hulse Warman Gallery, Taos NM; Michael Lord Gallery, Palm Springs CA
2011 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Craighead Green Galley, Dallas TX; Ventana Gallery, Santa Fe
NM; Sisko Gallery, Seattle WA
2010 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Craighead Green Gallery, Dallas TX; Ventana Gallery, Santa Fe
NM; Sisko Gallery, Seattle WA
2009 GROUP and SOLO EXHIBITIONS: Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas TX; Ventana Gallery,
Santa Fe NM; Sisko Gallery, Seattle WA
2008 GROUP and SOLO EXHIBITIONS: Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas TX; Ventana Gallery,
Santa Fe NM; Sisko Gallery, Seattle WA
2007 GROUP EXHIBITION: Ventana Gallery, Santa Fe NM
2006 INVITED ARTIST for the 3rd annual Crossroads Contemporary Gallery Celebration
Benefiting Kitchen Angels, Santa Fe NM
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Crossroads Contemporary, Santa Fe NM; Craighead-Green Gallery,
Dallas TX
2005 GROUP AND SOLO EXHIBITIONS: Crossroads Contemporary, Santa Fe NM; Sculpture
Ranch, Santa Fe NM; Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas TX
2004 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Crossroads Contemporary Invitational Grand Opening, Santa Fe NM;
Crossroads Contemporary featured artist, Santa Fe NM; Sculpture Ranch 3rd Invitational,
Santa Fe NM; Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Nick Cindric Fine Arts, Boca Raton FL;
Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas TX; DeGraaf Fine Art, Saugatuck MI and West Palm Beach
FL; Crucible Gallery, Norman OK; Scotsdale Artport Gallery, Scotsdale AZ
2003 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Sculpture Ranch 2nd Invitational, Santa Fe NM; Shidoni Gallery,
Tesuque NM; Nick Cindric Fine Arts, Boca Raton FL; Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas TX;
DeGraaf Fine Art, Saugatuck MI and West Palm Beach FL; Crucible Gallery, Norman OK;
Scotsdale Artport Gallery, Scotsdale AZ
2002 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Sculpture Ranch Inaugural Invitational, Santa Fe NM; Shidoni Gallery,
Tesuque NM; Nick Cindric Fine Arts, Boca Raton FL; Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas TX;
DeGraaf Fine Art, Saugatuck MI
2001 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery 30th Anniversary Invitational, Tesuque NM; Craighead-
Green Gallery, Dallas TX; DeGraaf Fine Art, Saugatuck MI; Crucible Gallery, Norman OK
2000 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Nick Cindric Fine Arts, Boca Raton FL;
Crucible Gallery, Norman OK; The Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1999 “MINIATURES/ 99”, The Albuquerque Museum of Art, Albuquerque NM;
COMMISSIONED: "Melli-Fluous", 8' bronze fountain, Pasadena CA
COMMISSIONED: "Chock Maul II", 20" bronze maquette, Scottsdale AZ
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: William Zimmer Fine Arts, Mendocino CA; Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque
NM; Nick Cindric Fine Arts, Boca Raton FL; The Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1998 “SOFA CHICAGO”, represented by Zimmer Fine Arts, Navy Pier, Chicago IL
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: William Zimmer Fine Arts, Mendocino CA; Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque
NM; Cindric Meyer Gallery, Boca Raton FL; Cynthia Woody Gallery, Scottsdale AZ;
The Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1997 “MINIATURES/ 97”, The Albuquerque Museum of Art, Albuquerque NM
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Cindric Meyer Gallery, Boca Raton
FL; Cynthia Woody Gallery, Scottsdale AZ; The Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1996 "SUMMER OUTDOOR SCULPTURE SHOW", Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM
"THE FINE ART AND CRAFT OF SCULPTURE", Cline-LewAllen Gallery, Santa Fe NM
COMMISSIONED: "Pas De Trois", 7' bronze sculpture, Sheboygan WI
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Cynthia Woody Gallery, Scottsdale
AZ; Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1995 "MINIATURES / 95", The Albuquerque Museum of Art, Albuquerque NM
SOLO EXHIBITIONS: "Bill Weaver", Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Cynthia Woody Gallery, Scottsdale
AZ; The Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1994 "FOOD SHRINE SHOW", represented by Shidoni Gallery, Santa Fe NM
"OLD MEDIA, NEW WAYS ", Shidoni Contemporary Gallery, Tesuque NM
COMMISSIONED: "Box Fall", 5' bronze fountain, Dallas TX
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1993 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1992 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1991 "MAGNIFICO!", monumental outdoor works, Museum of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan WI
1990 "ART L.A.-EXPO ' 90", represented by Shidoni Contemporary Gallery, Tesuque NM
"SUMMER OUTDOOR SCULPTURE SHOW", Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; The Woodlot Gallery, Sheboygan
WI; Andrea Ross Gallery, Santa Monica CA
1989 COMMISSIONED: "Ball in a Quilt", 6' bronze fountain, Beverly Hills CA;
"4TH INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR" Los Angeles CA, represented by
Shidoni Contemporary Gallery, Tesuque NM
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Andrea Ross Gallery, Santa
Monica CA
1988 GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Eva Cohen Gallery, Chicago IL
1987 "SUMMER OUTDOOR SCULPTURE SHOW", Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM
"LUBBOCK FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS", represented by Shidoni Gallery, Lubbock TX
GROUP EXHIBITIONS: Shidoni Gallery, Tesuque NM; Eva Cohen Gallery, Chicago IL
1975- COMMISSIONED: Samsonite Luggage Company, an original bronze sculpture edition,
1986 each year through 1990, Denver CO
COMMISSIONED: University of Colorado, original bronze sculpture edition, Boulder,CO
GROUP AND SOLO EXHIBITIONS: Edgar Britton Gallery, Littleton CO; Shidoni Gallery,
Tesuque NM; Randi's Art Gallery, Cherry Creek, Den