Collection: Bill Nebeker

Bill Nebeker 

Bill Nebeker grew up in and around Prescott, Arizona, spending part of his childhood on the Long Meadow Ranch, where he observed his father at work as a cowboy. His early life was immersed in horses, cattle, roundups, and brandings. Stories of the local Yavapai tribal traditions and their historical raids on nearby ranches and stage stops sparked his lifelong fascination with Native American cultures, ceremonies, and weaponry. Whether depicting cowboys working cattle, cutting or roping horses, Old West outlaws, famous lawmen, or Indigenous tribal life, Nebeker’s sculptures convey an authentic sense of character and vitality in bronze.

Recognized as one of the premier sculptors of the horse and cowboy, Nebeker has firsthand ranching experience on several Arizona properties, including the K4 and Lobo Ranches near Prescott and the ORO Ranch outside Prescott. He has also competed in team roping events nationwide, including the Arizona Cowpunchers Reunion Rodeos. This hands-on experience lends his sculptures an unparalleled realism, capturing both the historic Old West and contemporary ranching life.

Nebeker’s monumental bronzes are installed in numerous public spaces across the United States. Notable works include a life-sized portrait bronze of Robert C. Norris, past President of the AQHA and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum Board of Trustees, located at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, and a sculpture at the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio. In April 2024, he unveiled a larger-than-life bronze of WWI fighter pilot and Prescott hometown hero Ernest A. Love at the Prescott Regional Airport, marking his sixth monumental public sculpture in Arizona.