BILL MACK
The impact of Bill Mack's art is achieved
not only by his dramatic portrayal of the human form, but also
by the utilization of a wide variety of materials with which
to execute his artistic vision. The final work emerges as a classic
example of the interplay of form and materials.
For over 35 years, Bill Mack has created
sculpture in relief and in the round for government, corporate
and private collections. His art hangs in galleries in four continents
and he has had exhibits in Tokyo, England, France and Germany.
In reference to his interest in relief
sculpture, Mack states, "A lot of sculptors have no reason
to do it and they just don't develop in that direction. I've
had to actually re-work pieces by some teachers of sculpture
and some sculptors of note who do all their work in the round
and for one reason or another, have difficulty doing something
in relief. It's not like I'm tooting my own horn, but I know
there's no one in the United States, or in the world, for that
matter, who can technically do a relief portrait better than
I can."
The critics concur. M.J. Van Deventer,
in Art Gallery International, writes "His portrait
of Picasso is so unrestrained that a viewer expects to see a
vivid splash of color rush from the artist's palette any moment."
And the collectors include the rich and famous: Sylvester Stallone,
Former Presidents Ford and Carter, Terry Moore Hughes (the actress
who claims to have been secretly married to Howard Hughes) and
even the Pope.
Relief sculpture requires the synthesis
of shortened dimensions to create visually correct shadowing.
The artist's natural ability and visual acuity enable him to
deal with such distortions in creating works combining all elements
of relief sculpture. It is the combination of high and low relief,
incised surfaces, and elements in the round that causes a spontaneous
reaction to occur, directly involving the viewer.
The fascinating aspect of Mack's meteoric
rise in the art world is that he has, since 1985, been exhibiting
his work in galleries. Bill Mack's sculpture literally traveled
the world.
"My sculptures are not too complex
in their imagery. I try to develop concepts that are unusual
but easy to look at. The complexity is in the combination of
materials that create a unique form. My work is definitely my
own. I've never tried to emulate other artists' work." Not
only is the work visually appealing, meticulously executed and
memorable, but it is also emotionally riveting.
The response to Mack's work in Japan has
been overwhelming. He has had series of exhibits there and also
in galleries in Western Europe.
"It's easy for an art dealer to get
excited about work, ultimately the test of whether art is accepted
is if a person walks into an art gallery and acquires the art.
Bill's work is accepted very well on that level. He has filled
a gap in the art world, combining art and science. He is technically
excellent and equally important, he offers to the viewer a new
and exciting alternative that weds both two dimensional art and
sculpture."
Bill Mack has blended exceptional technical
skills, innovative combinations of materials and an ability to
bring to life elements moving through space to create a collection
that is the standard by which tomorrow's relief sculpture will
be judged.
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