American Bison | Artwork
Sculptor Chris Williams developed a passion for welding as a young boy when he helped out in his father鈥檚 metal shop in Rockport, Massachusetts. Today, he works out of a studio in the wood of Essex, Massachusetts and specializes in sculptures of animals. Most of his artworks are made of bronze, steel, or stainless steel, sometimes combined with blown glass elements. Williams has produced numerous large metal sculptures depicting animals and wildlife scenes including a bronze grizzly bear, a whimsical rat sculpture, an underwater view with ocean fishes; a stainless steel wolf, and a bull moose welded pieces of heavy steel plating.
In 1999, William created this American Bison by mixing two different surfacing techniques. On the animal鈥檚 upper back, he used a roughened texture to emulate a furry mane. In contrast, he created a smooth texture for the rear part of the bison鈥檚 body. The approximately 4000 pound welded steel sculpture looks very realistic from a distance. When the viewer stands near the artwork, the handmade elements are revealed.