Bill Prickett Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1965 -

Bill Prickett is a gifted sculptor who is regarded as amongst the most talented carvers in the UK. He has won several awards and prizes, the most recent being David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year, Wildlife in 3D category 2012, for his "Octopus". He also won the Sculpture Prize at the Festival of Falconry held in Abu Dhabi December 2011 for his sculpture "Preening Peregrine". It was picked from a shortlist of top international artists whose work was exhibited at the show.


Exhibitions
Bill's work has been exhibited at galleries nationwide including the Mall Galleries, London - at the SWLA (Society of Wild Life Artists) annual exhibition, the Royal Soceity of Marine Artists and The David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year exhibition; and Pensthorpe National Wildlife Carving and Sculpture Exhibitions where he has twice won the people's choice award. His work has sold at Christies and Sothebys and is held in collections world wide. Other galleries include House of Bruar, Scotland, Francis Iles, Rochester, Royall Fine Art, Kent.

Bill has that rare combination - exceptional technical talent and the imagination of an artist. Works such as "Swimming Otter" or "Diving Otter" show his ability to design pieces of beauty and simplicity; whereas"Peregrine Preening"or"Flushed Woodcock" show his extensive carving skill and his ability to transfer a creature's form into a three dimensional carving. This mixture is one of the things that makes Bills work so special.

Career
Bill is an unusual mixture of interests and life experiences. Born in 1965 Flying saker falconin Kent, UK, Bill was intent on working with animals and at 17 he started work as a dolphin trainer at Windsor Safari Park.

"My work took me all over the world and encompassed a variety of activities from working with killer whales and sealions to expeditions in Australia, Congo and Borneo. I also volunteered with several organisations including Pacific Whale Foundation in Hawaii (to study humpback whales), and in Scotland helping Cambridge and Loughborough Universities with research on echo location in dolphins. 13 years ago I left the animal world to follow my long held interest in sculpture. My first pieces were produced from wood which has always held a fascination for me."

When asked about the motivation behind his work Bill said:

" I endeavour to portray aspects of wildlife in the natural world, sometimes as an accurate depiction of what nature has honed to its current perfection. But other times I forego the minutiae of the complex, and draw on the essence of a particular animals behaviour or character to sculpt a more stylised piece that still draws heavily from my own personal experiences. On these occasions I choose the material that best aids the particular features I want to accent, whether this is through figuring in the grain within a piece of interesting timber or the more contemporary medium of plywood that has a unique beauty all of its own."

" I also really enjoy a challenge, from the delicacy of a minature dog's head, to the technical difficulties involved in producing a full size bullorFlying Saker Falcon"

Bill is happy to discuss commissions (please read the page on commissions).

Bill lives in Kent, UK, with his wife Lesley, who is also an artist.