Chris Wilson sculptor is the founder and owner of Wilson Wildlife Sculpture. He has been sculpting for over 40 years and has an extensive background in wildlife art.
Chris began his career as a Creative, Able, and Committed student—at a magnet school of the arts program in Atlanta, Georgia. His earliest mentors were talented wildlife artists, Marilyn Arn and Gary Denzler. Mr. Denzler trained Chris to value close observation of his subject matter; as a teenager, Chris designed a large aviary on his family home’s property to help facilitate this practice. Twelve beautiful waterfowl were conveniently available to Chris for close inspection and to aid in refining his artwork.
In addition to working with waterfowl models, Chris’ work is inspired by nature; he finds great pleasure in observing birds and their ability to fly. Wildlife like great blue herons and primeval wilderness overwhelm him with a spiritual feeling; others can experience this emotion through Chris’ fervent sculptures.
Chris states that he works with various media ranging from abstract to realistic to capture each species’ unique characteristics as they are revealed in a moment frozen in time.
Wilson has managed to cultivate a practice that is as multidimensional as it is artistic. His work is well-known and admired by scholars of wildlife art, though he may not yet be a household name in the broader art world. Yet Wilson has managed to remain relevant in his field for more than 40 years, despite changing styles and directions. This is due in part to the educational programs that he offers on monumentalizing wildlife, which creates a demand for the kind of installation art that Wilson pioneered. He also continues to travel and lecture internationally on wildlife conservation and art. And while Wilson may have reached the pinnacle of prestige within his field, he seems poised to transcend narrow definitions and earn recognition outside of it as well.
Chris Wilson Sculptor
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