Georgia artist and naturalist Chris Wilson celebrates the beauty of birds and other wildlife in his lifelike sculptures.
Artist: Born in Cincinnati, OH, Wilson spent his early childhood there before moving to Marietta, GA, when he was 14 years old. He dedicated himself to his art and graduated from Walton High School.
In 1994, he earned a BA in art from Kennesaw State University and an MFA in sculpture from Georgia State University in 2001.
Company/studio: Wilson Wildlife Sculpture started in the early 1990’s in his house in Marietta, where Wilson has a studio, showroom and workshop.
He also has a mobile studio in Charlotte, NC, where he works with his fiancé and artist, Yevgeniya Coston.
In the beginning: As a student in a magnet school arts program from elementary through middle school, he was mentored by a talented wildlife art instructor and Gary Denzler, the former head of the Birds of Prey Center at the Cincinnati Zoo. Denzler trained Wilson to value close observation of his subject matter.
As a teenager, Wilson designed a large aviary near his family home in Marietta, where 12 beautiful waterfowl were available to Wilson for close inspection and to aid in the refinement of his artwork.
He also was trained by several nationally known sculptors as a high school student.
Art & materials: Very detailed wildlife sculptures using salvaged or found wood, metal, acrylic, and oils. Miniatures ($500 to $1,500). Life-size and monumental sculptures, ($2,000 to $57,000.)
One-of-a-kind works, free-standing or wall hanging, can range from abstract and impressionistic to realistic.
What’s popular: Songbirds, gamebirds, birds of prey and his “Emerging Series.”
Favorite or must-have tool: Espert 500 Micromoter by NSK America.
Inspirations:
- William Bartram, Wilson’s ancestor and America’s first naturalist artist.
- Classical and Renaissance Art.
“I was inspired by Michelangelo’s “Bound Slaves” for the concept behind my Emerging Series of original sculptures,” said Wilson.
Fun, special or unusual commissions: His first sculpture: A bat. It was an anniversary gift for good friends.
Recent awards/honors: People’s Choice Award at the NatureWorks Art Show in Tulsa, OK. February 2024.
Recent project: A life-size covey rise of Bobwhite Quail.
What’s new: Working on a flying hummingbird feeding on foxglove flowers for a popular series titled, “Foxglove Flurry.”
What’s next: Southeastern Wildlife Exposition in Charleston, SC. Feb. 14-16.
Where to buy: wilsonwildlifesculpture.com
Connect:
- Instagram: @Wilsonwildlifesculpture
- Facebook: Chris Wilson – Wilson Wildlife Sculpture
