William Love Nelson
Images from gallery: William Love Nelson

Detail of Birdhouse Atop Archway, Close Up
https://commons.und.edu/fast-as-wln/67
William Love Nelson
Not much is known about the life of outsider artist William Love Nelson. He was born in 1895, in Green County Kentucky. He would spend his entire life in rural Kentucky. A tobacco farmer by trade, Nelson began sculpting to honor his son, James William Nelson. Pfc. who died at the age of 22 during WW2 while serving in Germany. Pfc. Nelson was with an infantry unit with Gen. Patton's Third Army, and was killed in a bombing raid in the Rhine River Valley.
Nelson’s sculptures are made out of wood or cement. When asked why he started making them, he replied that he “just took it up.” They depict various human figures and scenes from rural life. The sculptures were typically hollow, and made with an internal wire structure. The monument to his son is a touching homemade testament to a tragic wartime loss. When asked if a statue of a large woman was one of his girlfriends, he replied “I reckon.” Some of his sculptures were vandalized in the early 80’s. It is unknown if any of his sculptures survive. He is also known to have done assorted woodworking including a picture frame in honor of John F. Kennedy. Nelson died in 1988.
Images are provided for educational purposes only. © University of North Dakota. All rights reserved.

Detail view of side of archway, closeup
https://commons.und.edu/fast-as-wln/66
William Love Nelson
Not much is known about the life of outsider artist William Love Nelson. He was born in 1895, in Green County Kentucky. He would spend his entire life in rural Kentucky. A tobacco farmer by trade, Nelson began sculpting to honor his son, James William Nelson. Pfc. who died at the age of 22 during WW2 while serving in Germany. Pfc. Nelson was with an infantry unit with Gen. Patton's Third Army, and was killed in a bombing raid in the Rhine River Valley.
Nelson’s sculptures are made out of wood or cement. When asked why he started making them, he replied that he “just took it up.” They depict various human figures and scenes from rural life. The sculptures were typically hollow, and made with an internal wire structure. The monument to his son is a touching homemade testament to a tragic wartime loss. When asked if a statue of a large woman was one of his girlfriends, he replied “I reckon.” Some of his sculptures were vandalized in the early 80’s. It is unknown if any of his sculptures survive. He is also known to have done assorted woodworking including a picture frame in honor of John F. Kennedy. Nelson died in 1988.
Images are provided for educational purposes only. © University of North Dakota. All rights reserved.

Detail of planters and columns, close up
https://commons.und.edu/fast-as-wln/65
Not much is known about the life of outsider artist William Love Nelson. He was born in 1895, in Green County Kentucky. He would spend his entire life in rural Kentucky. A tobacco farmer by trade, Nelson began sculpting to honor his son, James William Nelson. Pfc. who died at the age of 22 during WW2 while serving in Germany. Pfc. Nelson was with an infantry unit with Gen. Patton's Third Army, and was killed in a bombing raid in the Rhine River Valley.
Nelson’s sculptures are made out of wood or cement. When asked why he started making them, he replied that he “just took it up.” They depict various human figures and scenes from rural life. The sculptures were typically hollow, and made with an internal wire structure. The monument to his son is a touching homemade testament to a tragic wartime loss. When asked if a statue of a large woman was one of his girlfriends, he replied “I reckon.” Some of his sculptures were vandalized in the early 80’s. It is unknown if any of his sculptures survive. He is also known to have done assorted woodworking including a picture frame in honor of John F. Kennedy. Nelson died in 1988.
Images are provided for educational purposes only. © University of North Dakota. All rights reserved.

Front diagonal view of house, Porch Art all visible, birdbath in foreground

Front diagonal view of Porch Art Columns, Planters

Front of home, porch art including columns and planters visible. Bird bath visible in foreground

Porch Column and Planter view

Porch Swing, WLN initials visible in background

Side view of two birdbaths that line the walking path to the porch

Front diagonal view of Woman from the road. Oxen Cart with Driver and Double Sided Crucifix visible in background

Front view of Woman Statue

Low angle view of woman statue, centered

View of Woman Statue from Below, close up

One armed man

One Armed Man, front view, close up

Detail view of Oxen Cart Driver, close up

Detail view of oxen driver, closeup

Front view of Oxen Cart with Driver, close up

Front view of Oxen Cart with Driver, Double Sided Crucifix visible in background

Oxen cart w driver, rear diagonal view

Oxen cart with driver, closeup

Rear diagonal view of Oxen Cart with Driver, facing road, Woman Statue and barn visible in the background

Side view of Oxen Cart with Driver, from yard side, close up

View of Oxen Cart with Driver from the house, Double Sided Crucifix visible on the right side

Front Diagonal view of One Armed Man statue

Close up Angled View of One Armed Man Statue

Front diagonal view of One Armed Man statue, close up

Individual Ox Statue

Individual Ox, close up, from road

Individual Ox, front diagonal view

Centered view of James W Nelson Memorial Statue from head to toe

Close view of James W Nelson Memorial statue

Detail view of man on James W Nelson Memorial, close up

Front diagonal view of James W Nelson Memorial statue

Front Diagonal view of James W Nelson Memorial, close up

Front diagonal view of James W Nelson Memorial, further out

Front Diagonal view of James W Nelson memorial

James W Nelson Memorial statue front diagonal view from road

James W Nelson Memorial, front diagonal view

Side view of James W Nelson Memorial statue, Individual Ox visible in background

Upward diagonal view of James W Nelson Memorial

Waist up James W Nelson Memorial Statue, close up

Front view of Double Sided Crucifix from the road

Front View of Double Sided Crucifix, facing house, close up

Front view of Double Sided Crucifix, from the road, close up

Front view of Double Sided Crucifix

Rear diagonal view of Double Sided Crucifix

Portrait of William Love Nelson, close up

Portrait of William Love Nelson in the light

View of archway and statues from the road

View of house and sculptures from down the road. Distant

View of line of statues and Archway from down the road

View of statues and Archway from down the road

Centered view of Double Sided Crucifix from the rear

Double sided crucifix, closeup

Detail of Birdhouse and Person on Archway

Front Diagonal View of Archway and Statues, Lighting Emphasizes Statues

Front View of Archway, One Armed Man visible to the left of the archway (confusing perspective)

Front view of top left detail of archway, from the street. Close up

Front view of top of archway, viewed from street. Close up

Low angle detail of bird house atop Archway and decorative person

Lower View of Birdhouse

Rear view of Archway, closeup

Statues Flanking Stairs Leading to Archway

Top of Archway, detail of birdhouses, bird statue, and small decorative people, close up

View of Archway from house, barn visible beyond road

View of Archway from the house, facing toward the road