Wildlife Sculpture, Fine Art, Nature, William Bartram inspired, bird sculpture,

Homo Faber 2026 -Venice, Italy -“An Island of Light”

I am so honored to be invited to this international art exhibition! In fact, I was selected by 11 Criteria of Excellence developed by the Michelangelo Foundation.

The exhibition is more than just a show, but a movement and an event -a Celebration of Craftsmanship by Master Artists & Artisans from around the world!

Artistic Direction by Es Devlin, curated by the Michelangelo Foundation

The Biennial and international celebration of craft curated by @homofaber is back in Venice in September! Inspired by the archipelago of the Venetian lagoon, British artist Es Devlin invites visitors to explore a narrative that unites +800 works of +400 craft artists from across the world – each an island of talent and skill within the wider waters of human talent – at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, on San Giorgio Maggiore island.

Explore 15 immersive installations,

Experience 800+ objects

Discover 400+ artists + artisans from 70+ countries.

Held from September 1–30, 2026 at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, this immersive exhibition explores the profound relationship between light, raw materials, and the human hand through spectacular scenography.

Key details of the event include:

The Installations: Visitors explore 15 immersive environments featuring over 800 works by 500 artisans from over 70 countries.

Live Crafting: Several main exhibition halls feature live demonstrations where artisans showcase their skills, techniques, and tools.

Homo Faber in Città: The event extends into Venice itself, where local workshops from the Homo Faber Guide open their doors to the public.

Getting There: Tickets include access to a complimentary shuttle service running every 30 minutes from San Marco–San Zaccaria (Pier B1).

You can view the artists and work as well as ticket information at homofaber.com. I had a nice article written about me titled “The Transcendent Power of Wood” by Janice Weiser. ahttps://www.homofaber.com/en/artisans/chris_wilson-wood_carving-marietta_ga . It should still be on their website. If not, I’ve added it to my Articles page.

My work was exhibited in “An Infinite Birdsong”. It was a beautiful installation in handmade Venetian glass cabinets filled with birds created from a variety of materials including paper, wood, metal, glass, ceramic, stone, and more.

I exhibited “The Fisherman” -an original woodcarving and mixed media sculpture inspired by my studies abroad. Capturing the essence of the vibrant common kingfisher, I hope to reveal the importance of habitat for wildlife and the interconnectedness of all creatures.

While I carved and finely detailed the life size kingfisher from one piece of tupelo wood, I fabricated its feet and branch from metal. In fact, I spent countless hours creating all of the habitat from recycled materials, including plastic, metal, wood shavings, etc.. I even carved a little minnow at the bottom of the informal oak base. 

Although I won’t receive the sculpture back from Italy until December, amazingly, it still available. A viewer from another country did request to collect this original; however, it is listed under Songbirds on my website. 

Thank you for your support in following my original woodcarvings and wildlife sculptures!

Sincerely, Chris