​J. N. BARTFIELD GALLERIES

Bill Rice

 

An artist whose work reflects his deep love of the American landscape and it’s wildlife, Bill Rice is highly regarded for his finely crafted bird sculpture, and has become respected for his small still-life and landscape paintings.

Born in 1952, Rice is a self-taught artist who began painting as a teenager and began sculpting avian subjects while employed as a carpenter. Working with traditional carving tools, he creates dynamic renditions of domestic and wild birds, capturing their distinctive beauty as well as their spiritual essence. Rice typically incorporates some aspect of the bird’s natural habitat into each piece, a practice that contributes to the life and animation of his sculpture. He derives inspiration for his work by continually observing the habits and attitudes of birds, and taking field trips throughout the year and keeping an aviary at his home.