Poetry and Spoken Word
Raised by a couture dress designer, costume and identity have always been central to William Wyld’s writing. Their work explores themes of close family, parenthood, love and sex by inhabiting different voices, and is also rooted in the landscape and a love of animals and nature, relating to their practice as a painter. William has performed at the Poetry Library, Wilderness festival, Wandsorth Arts Fringe and headlined at poetry nights around London. They have been published in Queer Life Queer Love II, the Lighthouse journal, the Live Canon sonnet anthology been sHighly commended in the Bridport Prize and longlisted for the National Poetry Competition. They are a member of the Southbank Centre New Poets Collective cohort of 2023 /24.
Painting and construction
William Wyld had their first exhibition of paintings at The Foundry, Old Street, in 2007, before studying fine art at the City and Guilds of London Art School, and later joining the Young Vic Theatre to train as a scenic carpenter. William has worked as a painting assistant at Bridget Riley Studios, a drawing tutor for the Royal Drawing School drawing clubs, and been involved in constructing major public exhibitions including the full refit of the Museum of Childhood which opened in 2023. Between installation projects for theatres and museums, William continues to hold open studio events and exhibitions, travelling by bicycle to remote parts of Britain to make small oil paintings on panel, always working outdoors in front of the motif. On these trips the dead birds and other animals are found which provide subject matter for still life studies made in the studio.
William has been in group shows at the Boundary Gallery and the Moncrieff-Bray Gallery, and included in the Royal Academy Summer Show and Discerning Eye exhibitions. Their work is held in the private collection of Bridget Riley and in the National Trust collection at Hatchlands Park.
Education
BA (hons) Fine Art Painting, City and Guilds of London Art School
Postgraduate Diploma, Drawing, The Princes Drawing School
MA Creative and Life Writing, Goldsmiths University
Residencies and Awards
Richard Ford award
Dumfries House Painting residency, 2018