Name: Bill FitzGibbons
Email: bill@billfitzgibbons.com
What type(s) of art do you like to create?
Most of my work is site-specific public art. Many of my early outdoor pieces were what I called pyro-sculpture performances. These collaborations often involved composers, musicians, dancers and pyro-technicians. Much of my current outdoor sculpture incorporates LED computerized light systems, usually with other sculptural elements. I still sometimes collaborate with composers and musicians like my “Poem of Light” piece that I did last winter in Iceland. Currently I am doing a series of “Fire Drawings” which is basically drawing on primed plywood with an oxy-acetylene cutting torch.
Where did you learn to do what you do?
Six years of taking sculpture and multi-media in college allowed me to learn many techniques. I got my MFA from Washington University in St. Louis and had some interesting mentors, Howard Jones being one of them. He was a pioneer in the art and technology movement. Dale Eldred from the Kansas City Art Institute and Otto Piene from MIT’s Center for Advanced Visual Studies also influenced me. The Russian Constructivists also informed my early sculpture making process.
Tell us about your most important projects.
I hope that my most important project hasn’t been done yet! I do think that “Light Channels” in San Antonio has been important as a transformative piece for the East Side of San Antonio. This LED installation has turned an urban barrier into a gateway. I am also proud of “Olaf”, a pyro-sculpture performance commissioned by the Hampshire Sculpture Trust in England. This labor intensive piece required a lot of overseas collaboration with dancers, musicians and pyro-technicians. Finally I think that “Sound Cross” was an important piece for me. This environmental sound sculpture was an ephemeral piece that I installed in downtown Anchorage, Alaska.
Describe your studio.
My studio is located in the heart of the Lone Star Arts District in San Antonio. The studio is a 15,000 square foot former warehouse and is adjacent to several other artist’s studios.
What type of music do you listen to while you work?
I listen to a very eclectic range of music- from classical to rock to Celtic to Texas music (Robert Earl Keen/Willie/etc.)
Where do you find your inspiration?
It’s my hope that the things I experience that reverberate with me will manifest visually somehow into the work. The built environment, forms found in nature and previous works of art all inform my aesthetic decisions and direction.
Do you have any advice for other artists?
Look inside yourself and follow your bliss.
Do you belong to any art organizations?
Texas Sculpture Association, Board Member of the Texas Sculpture Group, and Board Member of the International Sculpture Center.
Do you have a website?
Yes, www.billfitzgibbons.com.
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