Welcome

Bill Hunt was born in Bremerton. WA in 1944 where his Father; Maynard Hunt worked at the   Bremerton Naval Shipyards. When Bill was just 2, Maynard  and family was transferred to China Lake; Naval Ordinance Test Station; N.O.T.S. on the Mojave Desert.  A strong conservation ethic and a deep appreciation for the Natural World grew from boyhood Scouting adventures in the Owens Valley, back packing and skiing in the High Sierras and deep water sailing on the Pacific Ocean.  Captivated by the Sea,  Bill joined the Navy in 1963 and spent 4 years aboard the Aircraft Carrier; USS Essex - CVS-9.   In 1968 he resumed his education; first at DeAnza College in Cupertino, Where he was influenced by Biology Professor Doug Cheeseman, and then at Humboldt State University in Arcata where he was influenced by Dr Warren Houck, an authority on Marine Mammals.  Bill graduated in 1974 with a BS and MS degrees in Fisheries Management.  He has over 7 years experience as a research Marine Biologist including work  for  Duke Power in NC San Diego State University, and Occidental College in Redondo Beach.  As a Docent at the Cabrillo Marine  Aquarium in San Pedro, Bill met founder;  John Olguin and became involved in the Whale Watch Program.  It was on one of those Whale Watch trips that Bill met his Wife, Partner and Collaborator;  Rebecca Hunt

While attending Humboldt State University,  Bill impressed by the work of a local metal Sculptor named Hobart Brown.  Hobart is credited with the invention of the Kinetic Sculpture race, an annual event that crosses Humboldt Bay from Arcata to Ferndale. As a long time Classic Car and Hot Rod enthusiast, Bill had restored and driven several special interest vehicles and was already familiar with the materials, tools and welding skills that Hobart used to create his fabricated metal sculptures.  Years later in 1979, caprice revealed Bill to be a gifted metal sculptor.  Still fascinated by Marine Mammals and still inspired by the metal sculpture of Hobart Brown and others, Bill used an Oxy/Acetylene  torch, steel  welding rod and silicon bronze to fabricate a 1/12th scale model of a Humpback Whale.  the result was an anatomically accurate, sixty inch model of a Humpback Whale.  Displayed for the first time that Spring at the Cabrillo Beach Whale Fiesta the sculpture demonstrated Bill's unique talent for blending scientific  detail with graceful  movement and evocative beauty.   On the strength of that first piece, the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and the American Cetacean Society commissioned Bill to build a series of 1/12th scale Whales that now make up a  part of Education Programs  pioneered by John Olguin .

In 1981 Bill began sculpting full time and making the transition from  metal sculpture to limited edition bronzes.   His personal experiences with Marine and AquaticWildlife in the field are the Inspiration for the design and elegance of his remarkable pieces.  Building on visions of his own Wildlife observations, he uses careful measurements of his  subjects as well as painstaking examinations of Scientific Illustrations , Photographs

 including  Live and preserved Museum specimens.    The actual creation of a new Bronze starts with building an armature similar to his Fabricated Metal Sculpture  technique.  Using the same wax as the Art Bronze Foundries use, Bill pours hot wax over this rigid metal armature , Then, as the wax cools he removes most of the still warm  wax to get a smooth surface.  When the  wax is cool he can carve intricate  feather shapes or scale patters, much like a wood carver.  As his work and style developed, Bill would apple Plasticine (Oil Based Clay)  over the body to create a smooth and elegant form with exquisite and highly accurate details on legs, feet and face.  This results in startlingly realistic Birds and Sea Turtles  that will key out to the correct species in ant Sea Turtle identification  guide.