Bill Mack.  He has no mentors. There is nowhere to go to learn his art.  No one teaches his technique.  Sculptor Bill Mack works in such a rare art form that coming up with a name to describe it has been only slightly less arduous than creating the art itself.

Relief Sculpture

"Calling my artwork bas-relief," Mack says, "is incorrect since bas-relief technically refers to low relief sculpture.  My art, in fact, has more physical depth than high relief; it incorporates various elements in full-round rising toward the viewer as in my "Illusion" image where her leg leaves the background extending into space.  Technically, sculptures combining various levels of relief and full-round parts are called 'Alto Relief' sculptures.  A similar technique has been used on classic Roman and Greek buildings.  However, until I offered my current collection of sculptures, this art form had not appeared to any extent in galleries." 

The Early Years

For over twenty years, Mack paid his dues, working mostly as a commissioned artist -- from miniature medallic works such as the Bicentennial medals for the State of Minnesota and the cities of St. Louis and Baltimore, to reliefs and full-round sculptures for corporations such as General Motors, Pillsbury, and 3M.  Then, in the early 1980's, Mack made a venturous artistic move and entered the competitive gallery world with his Alto Relief' sculptures.  Today, in the popular contemporary arts, he has developed a major following. 

How Does He Do It?

The first reaction to this work is usually, "How does he do it?"  The answer to that question lies in part in his personal history.

Mack was born in Minneapolis, in a family that had never had anyone directly involved in art.  He was creating and selling oil portraits in high school.  At 17 years old, while employed as a draftsman for a company making bronze dedication tablets, a crucial moment occurred which would change his life forever.  Portraits are the most difficult image to create in relief.  When a poor quality relief portrait for a memorial tablet created by another artist was submitted to the company for approval, Mack thought he could do a better job.  He gave it a try and it was instantly accepted.  He immediately quit his job and began a career as a commissioned relief sculptor. 

Through his extensive artistic and business contacts around the world, Mack has also become an avid collector. His collection of paintings and drawings includes original works by such a diverse group of artists as Miro, Chagall, Picasso, Paul Jenkins, Jim Dine, and his friend and fellow Minnesotan, LeRoy Neiman.  However, his collection, include several presidential letters written by Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, John Kennedy, and others.  To decorate his tiered video theater, he collects and displays a treasure of costumes such as the one worn by Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz, Clark Gable's coat from Gone With The Wind, and Lon Chaney's suit from Phantom of the Opera.

Youthful and enthusiastic, ambitious and stylish, the mustachioed Mack has a distinctive flair about him.  For example, there is a fresh red rose bud he wears on his lapel every day.  Though he will not reveal the personal reason why he began the practice some years ago, the red rose has become a symbolic trademark.  Presenting them at gallery openings, he has become the largest non-commercial buyer of roses in the world, requiring tens of thousands of them each year. 

Without a doubt, Bill Mack's creations are strikingly unique in the world of art.  In or out of his studio, Mack is an unusual man and artist, influencing today's world of contemporary art.

It is with pleasure and honor that Saper Galleries presents for your enjoyment -- and possibly your own collection -- the relief sculpture of Bill Mack!

Esprit Adorned in mixed metals < On display now
Approximately 36 1/2 x 24 1/4" plus framing
$9,500 framed
($500 less than full $10,000 value)