William Ashley-Norman has been working with chicken wire for over 35 years. What began as a chance encounter has evolved into a lifelong passion for creating an extensive menagerie of animals, figures, portraits, and the occasional oddity. His skill with wire has divided into a number of directions
For the last 12 years, the artist has followed his first passion of sharing the craft and inspiring future artists with the creation of ChickenWired. Beginning with a conversation, at an exhibition the artist was holding, between the artist and some teachers, the first school workshops were devised. From that time, William has been sharing his expertise by conducting his ChickenWired workshops in hundreds of schools throughout the UK to over 45,000 pupils. By teaching thousands of school pupils, he has not only passed on his skill but also inspired a new generation of wire sculptors.
As the workshops expanded, the range of sculptures that could be created from the craft also expanded and from this the ChickenWired sculpture kits were created offering the craft to a wider audience and kits have been sold around the world.
Beyond ChickenWired and from the skills learnt William created his single-sheet relief figures are truly unique. Each piece is meticulously crafted by hand, with the slow manipulation of the wire to create a fluid and graceful form. As the wire is gradually shaped, the subject emerges, taking on a delicate and ethereal quality. The absence of strong join lines results in a more refined and serene sculpture. William’s mastery of chicken wire as a medium is evident in the intricacy and beauty of his creations.
William’s wire coil sculptures are equally impressive. Constructed from three different gauges of wire, the skeleton is made from 3mm wire, the muscles from 1.6mm wire, and the skin from 0.8mm wire. The resulting texture is both tactile and visually appealing, with the sculptures designed to emphasise the movement of the forms.
The latest addition to the work of William is as a result of the artists introduction to Sphagnum moss from which TopiART was created. Chickenwire frames, reinforced and padded with the waste wire created by the school workshops are finished with responsibly sourced Sphagnum moss to create living sculptures. The artist is looking forward to the possibilities that this marriage of materials can lead to. William’s work is rare and highly sought after due to his deep passion for the ChickenWired sculpture craft.
