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AUniqueMedium
HERB WILLIAMS ’96
j
HerbWilliams
is coloring theworldwith
his original Crayola crayon sculptures. Known
globally for turning those littlewax sticks into
masterpieces, he’s taken themost familiar and
basic tool for creative expression to awholenew
level.
Fifty-pound cases containing3,000 crayons
each aredelivered regularly toWilliams at the
RymerGallery inNashville, whichhe co-founded
with Jeff Rymer in2009. He also serves as the
gallery’s curator.
“Iwork in almost allmediums—from spray
painting graffiti to carving stone—but the
crayon sculptures arewhat thepublic seems
todigmost,” saysWilliams, who grewup in
Montgomery. “There are literallymillions of
crayons in the studio right now.”
This piece, titled “TheRipple Effect,” is one
of thefirst sculptures fromWilliams’ new “Call
of theWild” exhibition, which showed at a
contemporary art space inNashville, inMarch.
Some 40,000melted crayonswereused for the
deer alone.
Williams received aBFA in sculpture from
BSC. “Leeway,” a steel sculpturehebuilt his
sophomore yearwithBrankoMedenica ’72,
still stands outside theKennedyArt Buildingon
campus. Since graduating,Williams has been
making a livingdoingwhat he loves; he started
out at abronze foundry inWest PalmBeach, Fla.
“BSCopenedmy eyes to the greater artworld
and gaveme a lifelong fascinationwith seeing
things differently,”he says. “I am still inspiredby
[Emeritus Professor of Art] BobTucker, [the late]
Doc Slone, andother friends Imade at BSC.”
Williams hasmadenational appearances on
NPR andCBS, andhis sculptures are in anumber
of private andpublic collections, including
museums, hospitals, and theWhiteHouse.
About 60of his sculptures andpaintingswill
travel toChina this summer for a six-city, two-
year traveling exhibition.
Williams
Ripple Effect
byHerbWilliams (
