A sculptor, architect, and naturalist, William McBride in 2006 left Chicago to be “close to the land” in the heart of the Flint Hills of Kansas. He and his family live in a “green” residence steps away from the Santa Fe Rail Road bunkhouse (1924) they restored. Originally from Ohio, Bill studied at Harvard (Graduate School of Design). He received a Fredrick Sheldon Traveling Fellowship and worked in Stockholm, Sweden before making a career as an architect. In 1980 he co-founded McBride Kelley Baurer Architects in Chicago.

Bill’s sculpture is inspired by the rich visual and spiritual dimensions of the tallgrass prairie. Like the acclaimed British artist Andy Goldsworthy he uses found objects, stones, bones, leaves to create his multi media sculpture. His “Bone and Feather Mask” (1994) won first prize in Art by Architects.

“Hey-diddle-diddle” (1999) is one of the “Chicago Cows On Parade” and is located at the Wrigley Building. Bill is one of the founding fathers of Pioneer Bluffs Foundation.