Who I Am ; Why I Do What I Do

I didn't wake up one morning and decide to become a sculptor. I doubt many artists begin that way.  I'm
not sure exactly when it started for me, but I know it was probably the convergence of many factors, all of
which, in combination, have left me with a profound respect for and appreciation of the natural world and
the life that inhabits it.

When I was growing up, my mother spent much of her free time sculpting and at some point I began to
wonder if I had inherited any of her artistic talent.  By age 15 my interest in animals had led me to
collect several boxes of animal pictures from magazines, many of which I now use as reference photos for
my work.  I started drawing animals in action in my early teens and later did a few wood carvings.

My feeling of kinship with animals inspired me eventually to become a veterinarian and build my own
small animal veterinary hospital in the Seattle area of Washington State. After a successful 30 year career
as a veterinarian, I took an early retirement so that I could pursue what had, by then, become a passion
for artistic expression.

Throughout my adult life I have taken every opportunity to immerse myself in the natural world. I have
backpacked thousands of miles through the Cascade Mountains with family and friends and kayaked and
canoed many of the rivers in the Western U.S.  Skiing, paragliding, sea kayaking and scuba diving, have
all enabled me to interact with nature from multiple perspectives and have permitted me close contact
with some of the animals that I sculpt.

I feel a special attraction to the wild creatures that are my sculpting subjects, because of their power,
speed, and agility. The beauty of their movement and their cunning and elusiveness are difficult to
capture in a sculpture or painting, but it is a challenge I enjoy. I am awed by how perfectly adapted they
are to survive and prosper in that special niche they occupy in their environment, but am saddened by how
incapable many are of surviving rapid changes in their world. I think the role of an animal artist is to
capture the uniqueness and essence of his or her subject in a way that heightens the viewer's appreciation
of these creatures.

As we all know, becoming successful at any endeavor is an ongoing effort.  We rarely if ever "arrive" at our
goals.  For me this effort, this  journey is the goal. To help me through this journey, I have from time to
time studied under very accomplished, nationally recognised sculptors.   Among  them are:  David Turner,
Mikael Sogoian, Lincoln Fox, Walter Matia, Eugene Daub, and Philippe Faraut .

Thank you for visiting my web site.  I hope you enjoy what you see here and I look forward to presenting
the many pieces I have in progress as they are completed.

Bill Baldwin
On display at the Washington
State University Alumni Center
                        
"Watching"
Bill and his wife, Gerri