On Sept. 15, from 2:30 to 4:30pm, local art legend, sculptor, blacksmith, poet and second-generation Coloradan William “Bill” Morrow will address his community at the Rifle Library as part of their “Art in The Stacks” event series. The title of Morrow’s talk is “Meet the Legend.”
Morrow has spent over 50 years creating larger-than-life metal sculptures, many derived from deep inspirations. These works have graced the streets of the Roaring Fork Valley and Grand Junction — where he was involved with Art on The Corner, the first outdoor sculpture program in the United States — and have been incorporated in designs in other parts of the country such as New York and even across the world.
This event follows a silent auction for his most iconic works, which has been live on his official website for several weeks. The auction is currently being held with the assistance of his friend and conservator of his legacy and work, Nancey Glass, aka “Girl-Friday.” The auction ends on Sept. 21 at 6pm.
“[He] is a national treasure,” Glass wrote on the website. “His one-of-a-kind metal sculptures are the epitome of genius and ingenuity combined with his unique character and style to bring form into things that were otherwise thrown out or no longer in use. His incredible imagination brings you architect, artist and engineer all in one, with an elegance that only he brings.”
Morrow, who will turn 80 in December, is auctioning off iconic pieces such as “A Split Second of Free Air,” “Running for Office,” “The Saguaro,” “Night Watchman” and the well-known “Insane-A-Cycle” which sat outside of the Roaring Fork Co-op in Carbondale from 2017 until about three weeks ago when it was moved to Rifle with assistance from friends for whom Glass and Morrow extend “deep thanks.” The idea is to leave money behind for Morrow’s two grandchildren.
Morrow has always had a creative and go-getter spirit. He describes an independent childhood in Rifle where he could spend hours or even days creating art by the time he was a toddler. After his youngest brother Dennis was born, he said he was set free to do what he was always meant to do: create.
“Dennis had asthma and allergies, so he needed a lot of attention,” Morrow recalled. “By the time he was 18 months old, my mom put an angel on my shoulder and set me free. I had a different way of growing up than most kids. I think I was born to create, and I was set free to do it.”
Morrow describes himself as a curious child, who was told that he “asked too many questions” and who was into “oddball” things. Eventually, he took a break from creativity and entered the workforce as a rodman for a surveying company. One thing that he did bring to many tables was, in fact, his creativity.
“What I learned was that I was in bad need of education. I goofed off too much in high school, and so it gave me a hunger to learn more,” he described. “I found that I loved to take things apart. I would take apart anything to come my way, my favorite playground was a junkyard. I’d get an old radio out of the junkyard and see if I could make it work, if I couldn’t make it work, I’d tear apart.”
Morrow went on to become a certified electrician during his time with the U.S. Navy, serving two tours — including one during the Vietnam War. After getting married and returning to the working world, he started tinkering with new ways of making art out of things such as car parts, can openers and whatever else he could get his hands on.
“I didn’t consider myself an artist at that time, I was just playing,” he said.
At the upcoming event, folks will have a chance to learn from Morrow and view the artwork on display, as well as larger sculptures at a second location, all up for bid on the website.
Despite his age and declining health, Morrow reflects on his life and work with a lot of gratitude and love. “My frugality is a base. If it wasn’t for time, I’d have nothing to waste. I never worked a day in my life, I played for a living,” he stated.
More information on the “Meet the Legend” event and the online auction can be found at www.williammorrowsculptures.com
William Morrow’s “Insane-A-Cycle” and other sculptures have found a new temporary home at an undisclosed location near Rifle. You could be so lucky to display any of these at your home by bidding in the auction. Photos by Nancey Glass