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January 2008
William W. Mueller Biography
“As an artist I am particularly interested in sculptural images that are multidimensional, that welcome viewers from many different backgrounds and cultures, and that add human dimension to large public buildings and grounds. My sculptural language utilizes various architectural elements that appear simple in form yet create a constantly changing and dynamic visual experience. The viewer will recognize similar shapes and spatial relationships in both my larger and smaller works, whether fabricated from bronze, aluminum, steel, wood, or plexiglass, and whether intended for an interior or outdoor site.”
A native of the Pacific Northwest Mueller was raised and educated in Washington and Oregon. His exposure to the art of Native Americans in the coastal regions of Puget Sound, the Olympic Peninsula, and Montana’s Flathead Valley, and his academic study at the University of Oregon have been major influences on the development of his art. While studying sculpture and landscape architecture he came under the tutelage of Jan Zach, University of Oregon Sculpture Department
Chair and an internationally known Czech sculptor. Not only did Mueller study with Zach during his university years but also worked as his assistant sculptor for 9 years following graduation. These 9 years gave Mueller a strong foundation for the process of fabricating, siting, and installing public art. His association with Zach also brought him into contact with many prominent contemporary sculptors.
After moving to Bellingham, Washington in the late 1980s Mueller primarily worked with laminated pine and cast bronze. In 1994 he and his family left the Pacific Northwest for Colorado, a decision that proved to be a turning point in his career. His sculpture took on a new direction, melding his northwest experiences with the cultural and environmental influences of the southwest. After the move, Mueller’s work became larger in scale and was markedly influenced by the local colors of Colorado’s semi-arid Front Range region.
His body of work developed in Colorado includes his “Larger Works”, the “Wall Series”, the “Slice Series”, “Bow Tie Series”, and his new “Synergy Series”. From 1995-2005 Mueller developed a finishing process that produces a colorful, durable, terracotta-like finish for his solid laminated wood sculptures. These are one-of-a-kind sculptures, handmade and hand colored.
Mueller is currently exploring the use of different fabrication materials and is developing his sculptural concepts at a variety of scales. The “Bow Tie Series” deals with a progression of both small and large works fabricated from bronze, stainless steel, painted aluminum, and plexiglass. The more recent “Synergy Series” is based on the sculptural concept of one form folding into another form in a continuous sequence. The forms are folded into a variety of planes and angles, each maintaining its own structural identity as it becomes an integral part of a new entity.
To date Mueller has public sculptures sited in Oregon, Idaho, and Colorado. He has shown his work in numerous exhibitions and has been recognized in both local and national publications. Mueller brings a mature yet innovative approach to public art in the Rocky Mountain region as he continues his exploration with parallel, radiating, and folded forms/perforated steel.
A list of completed works is available upon request.