Wild Bill Worrell Copper & Turquoise Spirit Shield Sculpture, 39"

Evocative mixed-metal wall sculpture by celebrated Texas artist Wild Bill Worrell (1936–2021), renowned for reinterpreting the ancient rock art of the Lower Pecos and Middle Rio Grande regions. Handcrafted from hammered copper with a flame-patina finish, this circular “Spirit Shield” features etched petroglyph-style figures representing spiritual guardians and ancestral beings. Suspended copper elements—feathers, spirals, and symbolic charms—are accented with turquoise, jasper, handcrafted glass beads, and heishi shell, with additional mineral inlays likely including serpentine and chrysocolla.

Mounted on a bundle of sculpted copper rods centered by turquoise, the work embodies Worrell’s signature fusion of ancient symbology and contemporary metalcraft. The spirals and horned shamanic figures suggest a timeless connection between land, spirit, and cosmos—core themes in Worrell’s mythic visual language. Wall-mountable and visually commanding, this piece stands as an exemplary expression of Southwestern artistry and modern spiritual abstraction.

Condition:

Good condition overall, with no remarkable damage. The copper shows gentle natural patina and minor tonal variation consistent with handcrafted artistry. All adornments are intact and secure.

Dimensions:

Overall: 39" H × 27" W × 2" D
Weight: 4 lbs

Artist Biography – Wild Bill Worrell (1936–2021)

Born in Texas, Bill Worrell was a sculptor, painter, and jeweler celebrated for transforming ancient symbols into contemporary art. After earning degrees in fine art and teaching sculpture and ceramics for nearly two decades, Worrell turned full-time to his own practice following a revelatory 1979 canoe trip along the Pecos River, where he encountered prehistoric cave paintings that profoundly shaped his creative vision.

His art reimagines these ancient pictographs and petroglyphs as living expressions of spirituality, balance, and human connection to nature. Working in bronze, copper, and mixed media, Worrell forged a distinctive visual language of shamanic and spirit figures that bridge the material and cosmic worlds.

Worrell made his Santa Fe debut in 1986, exhibiting widely in the United States and abroad. His monumental bronze The Maker of Peace stands at Seminole Canyon State Historical Park—a tribute to the same ancient artists who inspired him. Today, Worrell’s works remain highly collected for their enduring sense of mysticism, craftsmanship, and cultural reverence.