Who is Bill Mack

Bill Mack is the world’s preeminent relief sculptor.

The relief form – in Mack’s case, primarily "alto relief" – originated in ancient temple friezes and marble sepulchers, and is virtually nonexistent in galleries anywhere.

To excel in this exacting form, in which foreshortening poses daunting technical challenges, Mack is also a master draftsman. Each relief derives from painstaking studies of the foreshortened figure -- a classic skill that is a major factor in to the quality of his reliefs.

Enthusiastic, stylish, and original, the mustachioed Mack has a distinctive flair about him. From his rare art form to the mysterious red rose that he wears on his lapel each day, Mack is an unusual man and artist. He enjoys one of the most successful and high profile careers in contemporary American art.

"Mack’s Art elicits an immediate emotional response," notes one critic, "a moment in time is stopped, a familiar face is revealed, the grace of a body in motion is captured. If viewers become more than observers, they become participants in the drama unfold in before their eyes."

The Reliefs. Combining low and high relief, incised lines, and elements in the round, in works that Mack directly involves the viewer in a three-dimensional experience, both textural and tactile is often startling real.

"Calling my artworks bas relief," Mack says, "is true in some instances. However, bas relief technically refers to low relief, like the relief on a coin. My relief typically incorporates higher levels of relief and often elements in full-round – which is correctly referred to as alto relief. High reliefs and alto reliefs can be seen on buildings throughout Europe and in most major cities in the United States. However, a collection of alto reliefs was not available in galleries until I introduced them in the 1980s in materials light enough to be displayed in homes and offices."