Herb Williams was born in Montgomery, AL, in 1973. He received a BFA in sculpture from Birmingham-Southern College, and there apprenticed under two professional sculptors off-campus. Although the artist works with many different mediums and materials, he is well-known for his original sculptures out of individual crayons that may require as many as hundreds of thousands. He is one of the only individuals in the world that holds an account with Crayola. His sculptures have been placed in public arenas, such as children’s hospitals, corporate lobbies, museum walls, and the White House. His artist statement says:
“I am interested in identifying iconic objects that society perceives to fit one role and then reintroducing them in different subtexts. Intriguing questions arise when an object associated with childhood, such as a crayon, is used to address issues dealing with more adult matters, such as sexuality, religion, and social hierarchy. The sculptures are childlike in their curious approach to the object as icon, but beguiling and satisfying to me in the use of pure color as form. Larger room installations also add the element of playing to the olfactory sense, as the scent of the wax completely saturates the environment. My intent is to continue to seriously create art that looks at itself unseriously”.
More of his work can be found on his website, Facebook and Instagram.
Images: Courtesy of Herb Williams.
