Bill Morris photo by CW Guildner.
We are very grateful to have the opportunity to share this collection of works by William Morris, spanning between 2000-2013.
In the early 2000’s, we first witnessed Bill working at Pilchuck, which was his studio during the winter months when the school was not in session. It was there we saw him using some of the most unorthodox methods to create his Man Adorned figurative pieces. We watched enthralled as he sculpted a human head from the molten glass, pushing from the inside of the skull to build an ear, cutting into the form for the eye socket, fire blasting through the openings. It was not only his creative methods that amazed us, but his focus and his ability to channel energy, seemingly from another time and culture. He truly was a force of, and for, nature. His work brings us into a realm that connects us all, where we are all one and cultures share a collective relationship. We see associations to the writings of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. Morris’s work is a timeless reflection on the human spirit.
Some of these works are from the Morris archives. There are also post retirement (2007) works that he has recently reconfigured from larger installations.
William Morris created a prolific oeuvre during his fertile and intense journey working in hot glass. He has left a legacy with his work and the school of artists he has helped through his mentorship at Pilchuck.
Jim Schantz and Kim Saul
October, 2019