Bill Hayes

Bill Hayes is a leading NZ bronze sculptor and ceramicist who has been making a name for himself as a commission artist for well over 25 years. He works in cast bronze and hand-crafted ceramic, and has taught many classes and workshops on these mediums.

I have been enthralled in the act of creation for many years now . . . [My bronze sculptures] have a textural quality that is so much a part of working with cast metals, and they show the physicality that is required to produce a finished work . . . they challenge the viewer to look, contemplate, and bring their own aesthetic sense of form and texture to the work.

Bill’s earlier weird and wonderful bronze sculptures featured chevron shapes in many forms, interactive wall pieces with travelling marbles, and alien or underwater imaginary creatures with spines and pods. Today, his ceramic vessels and wall plaques depict NZ sea- and landscapes with diving gannets, soaring tui, and swimming hammerhead sharks. His large bronze table-top ocean scenes with historic sailing ships and waka have appeared in exhibitions and prompted several commissions.

Some of Bill’s commissions include: a giant “Pelagic Chevron” public sculpture at the corner of Tangihua Street and Quay Street in Auckland City; a large, bronze interpretation of Captain Cook’s sextant; a bronze entranceway for the Wairakia Golf Course; a copper and ceramic fountain for the entrance to the Lake House Art Centre; bronze plaques for the Sir Edmund Hillary Ice Axe memorabilia case; and a sculpture of renowned art benefactor Lady Becroft’s hands.

Art by the River is the newest of several Whanganui art galleries, and opened in December 2024. The gallery features a blend of emerging and well known new zealand artists, alongside an exclusive art Collectables selection of local artists paintings for sale. art dealers and collectors, we include rare and sought-after artworks by internationally recognised artists such as Gretchen Albrecht, Banksy, Damien Hirst, Ralph Hotere and Andy Warhol. We are committed to supporting NZ artists by providing gallery exhibition space in-house, connecting both New Zealand and international art collectors with meaningful works of art, and contributing to Whanganui’s unique cultural environment.