Willem Volkersz.com
Sculptures
The sculptures are made of 1/4" birch plywood panels painted with acrylic latex to which I often add handcrafted wooden elements and found objects. The neon was fabricated for many years in Bozeman by Bill Todd until his retirement and for the last ten years by John Nyman in Billings. All solid state transformers and wiring are hidden behind the panels and require a grounded outlet. All large panels are secured with wooden supports that are screwed into the wall.
The following themes recur in the sculptures:
Autobiographical work
America the Beautiful (2008), neon, wood, paint, 91x85x26
After the Storm (1996), neon, wood, paint, postcards, found objects, 86x92x12 (coll. Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, Wyoming)
When I Was a Boy (2008), neon, wood, paint, found object, 96x128x25
This Is Your Life(1996), neon, wood, paint, found objects, 104x120x63 (coll. Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane)
Use of collected objects
Selfportrait (Baggage) (1991/2005), neon, wood, paint, postcards, 96x144x15
Birds of North America (2005), wood, paint, found objects, 85x120x9.5
Global Positioning (2006), neon, wood, paint, found objects, 89x30x13- Diptychs
Night Sky in Arles (2015), neon, wood, acrylic/latex paint, chalk, 37 x 92 x 6.25 (private collection, Portland, Oregon)
Canis Major & Friends (1997), neon, wood, paint, chalk, found objects, 47x24x8
Slaughter of the Innocents (2006), neon, wood, paint, found objectsLandscape & Urbanization of the West
Face to Face (2000), neon, wood, paint, 90x120x7 (coll. University of Kansas Hospital)
Product/service nameHome on the Range(2011), neon, wood, paint, 95x72x6 (coll. Montana State University)
Yellowstone Wildlife (2008), neon, wood, paint, found objects, 73x47x9- Recent Work
Bluebird Mountain (2020), neon, wood, acrylic/latex paint, 48 x 144 x 6 (coll. Delta Airlines, Salt Lake City Airport)
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor...(2017), wood, paint, found objects, 24.5 x 37 x 11 (private collection)
A Peaceable Kingdom (2017), wood, paint, found objects, 33.75 x 45 x 9
Vincent and Theo (2018), neon, wood, paint, found objects, 32 x 24 x 9
Among others, my work can be found in the permanent collections of the
Nicolaysen Art Museum
Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture
Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art
Museum of Neon Art
Barkley US,
Kansas City
Watertown Hotel, Seattle
Booth Western Art Museum, Cartersville, GA
University of Kansas Hospital, Kansas City
Dairy Block, Denver
Contact these galleries for work available and prices:
Visions West Contemporary 2605 Walnut, Denver, Colorado Nathan Larramendy, Gallery Director (303) 292-0909
Visions West Contemporary 34 W. Main, Bozeman, Montana Nikki & Jeb Todd, owners (406) 522-9946
Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art 2004 Baltimore, Kansas City, MO Sherry Leedy, owner (816) 221-2626