Petleys

David Williams-Ellis, born in Ireland in 1959, is celebrated internationally and his work can be found in public and private collections throughout the world. He works in clay and casts in bronze and glass.

After graduating from Stowe school, David travelled to Florence (1977-78), where he studied drawing under the acclaimed sculptress Nerina Simi and practised as an apprentice with Florentine woodcarvers. From 1978-80, his winning the Elizabeth T. Greenshield Foundation Award offered him the opportunity of learning to carve marble at Pietrasanta near Carrara. On his return to England in 1981, David studied at the Sir John Cass School of Art under Clive Duncan and in 1993 he was elected a member of the Cambrian Academy.

Most of David's sculptures are based on the human form, and whilst retaining a strong contemporary feel, they reflect the romanticism of Rodin and Bourdelle and recall his classical training in Italy.

Since 1981, David has exhibited his sculpture annually both in England and abroad. He has worked on a large number of prestigious commissions, making portraits of notable figures, including the welsh artist Sir Kyffin Williams. Since 1986, David has also been involved in a great many large private and public commissions, such as his 'Robin Hood' for Temple Place, London (2003), and his 'Mother and Child' for the N.S.P.C.C. in Liverpool (2007).

He lives and works between London, Wales and Cumbria.

Exhibitions
1981
Group Show, Le Robinson Gallery, Paris
1983 Studio Show, Regents Park, London
1985 Fiona Whitney, Los Angeles
1986 Young Artists Exhibition, Thos. Agnew & Sons, London
1986 Fiona Whitney, Los Angeles
1987 Otter Gallery, Belfast
Gail Feingarten, Los Angeles
National Trust Foundation for Art, Thos. Agnew & Sons
1988 The Cadogan Contemporary Gallery, London
1989 Tom Caldwell Gallery, Belfast
Houldsworth Fine Art, London
1990 Contemporary Sculpture Centre, Tokyo, Japan
1991 Tom Caldwell Gallery, Belfast
Cadogan Contemporary, London
1993 Oriel Plas, Glyn-y-Weddw, Wales
The Deities, Tatsumi Collection, St. James, London
The Deities, Mitsukoshi Department Store, Osaka, Japan
1995 Sladmore Gallery, London
1996 La Cymaise, Paris
1997 Marcos Bledel Gallery, Santiago, Chile
Marcos Bledel Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Parvis Sigaroudinia, Northern Ireland
1998 Albany Gallery, Cardiff, Wales
1999 Parvis Sigaroudinia Gallery, Northern Ireland
The Cadogan Contemporary Gallery, London
The Bank of Ireland, Dublin.
2000 Albany Gallery, Cardiff, Wales
Oriel Plas, Glyn-y-Weddw, Wales
2001 Parvis Sigaroudinia Gallery, Northern Ireland
2002 Albany Gallery, Cardiff, Wales
2003

2004 Robert Bowman Gallery, London

Glass exhibition, Parvis Sigaroudinia Gallery, Northern Ireland
Robert Bowman Gallery, St. James, London
Oriel Plas, Glyn-y-Weddw, Wales
Newby Hall, Yorkshire
Olympia Fine Art and antiques Fair, London
Antiques Chicago. USA
Glass exhibition, own studio, Walham Yard, London (Oct 4-7th)
Rarity Gallery, Mykonos, Greece

2005 Rarity Gallery, Mykonos, Greece
Cadogan Contemporary Gallery, London
Parvis Sigaroudinia Gallery, Ireland
Sculpture and Gardens – Summer Show – Solomon Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
Art London Exhibition
XVA Gallery, Dubai, U.A.E.
Petley Fine Art Exhibition, London
Newby Hall, Yorkshire
Art in Eden

Commissions
Portrait Commissions
1981 Mervyn Bourdillon
1982 Admiral Sir Victor Crutchley
1983 Thierry Kelaart
1984 The Countess of Belmore, Taylor Bigbie
1985 Bertie de Margery, Richard Westmacott, Mrs Will Richeson
1986 Mrs David Sharples, William Vestey
1987 Lord Vestey, Arthur Vestey
National Trust: portrait busts of Henry Harper Crewe and Lord Vernon
1988 Royal College of Nurses: bust of Trevor Clay
Robert Willett
1989 The Duchess of Abercorn, Lady Tamara and Lady Edwina Grosvenor,
The Hon Edward Fairfax, Mrs David Thorpe, Major John Charlton, Vincent d’Aguilar
1990 Lord Shuttleworth, Duncan McLaren, Leslie Mackie, Naomi Gummer and Otis Ferry
1992 Lord Aberconway, Camilla Stopford-Sackville, Mrs Paul Collins, Lord Glamis
1993 The Lord St. Oswald, Sir David Butter, Isaac Ferry, Chloe Guinness
1994 Sweerts de Landas family group; Lord Beaumont, Lord Edward Innes-Kerr & Lady Rosie Innes-Kerr, Claire Moores
1995 Charlie Gayner, Sam Moores, Anna Paul, Sarah Paul, Dr & Mrs Edward Haughey
1996 Annabel Howard, Baroness Sweerts de Landas, Simon Cadbury, Desmond Thompson,
Camilla Baring, Anna-Margaret Smedveg
1997 Nicholas Durlacher, Sir Richard Brooke, Jim McMullan, B.J. Eastwood, Tara Ferry
1998 Imogen Harris, Merlin Ferry, Natasha & Jamie Robson, Lea Mandallaz, Katya Zarlas
1999 The Hon Zara Digby, Charlie Howard
2000 Professor Barry O’Donnell, Katie Magnier, Derek Shaw
2001
2002
2004
2005 Lord Soulsby, Gordon Richards, Sir Kyffin Williams
Georgie Harris
Sir Denis Rooke, Loughborough University.
Mr. Paul Van Malderen – V.M. Invest, Belgium
Cunningham Children – Group Portrait
Large Private and Public Commissions
1986 Diana the Huntress, private collection, London
Large bronze eagle for C. Hoare and Co, London
1990 Wood Nymph Rode Hall, Staffordshire
1991 Arethusa, Scone Palace, Perth
1992 Flora, London
1993 Deities – six life size bronze sculptures private collection in Kobe, Japan
Acrobats, Okayama Ladies College, Okayama, Japan
1995 Oberon & Titania, private collection, London
1996 The Maid of Ord, private collection, Scotland
1997 Odysseus and Penelope, private collection, Tokyo, Japan.
1999 Aphrodite, for private house, Oxfordshire
2000 Edyta, for private house, Oxfordshire
Grotto Figures, for private house, Nova Scotia, Canada
Sea maiden, private collection, Dalkey, Dublin
The Lying Figure, private collection, Dublin
Watcher for Oxford House, Hong Kong
2001 Louise, private collection, Oxfordshire
2002
2003
2003
2004
2005 Girl on Rock for Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, North Wales
Huntress, private collection, London
Robin Hood, series 2, Temple Place, Strand, London
Wolfhound – private collection. UK
Louise – Private Collection – South of France
The Guardians – Marshall Wace Headquarters– Adelphi Building, London W1