Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, William McElcheran had a career that early on was focused on architecture and design of churches and liturgical subjects and then on figural sculpture dedicated to "portraying these self-important men of trade in different settings and situations. He took a good natured poke at the 'rat race' and was continually fascinated by the dynamics of our ever-expanding population." (Kinsman)

McElcheran was based primarily in Toronto but did much traveling to other places.

He was a graduate of the Ontario College of Art in 1948 and held the top class position. He did religious subject wood carving and carving of church furniture and pews, and then he became chief designer for an architectural firm, Bruce Brown and Brisely, focused on churches and university buildings.

Among his commisisons were McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontariao (1960); maghogany stations of the cross at St. Augustine's College in Scarboro, Ontario 1966; a plaster relief at the Walkerton Federal Building in Ontario (1970; sculpture at St. Michael's Library at the University of Toronto,1972; and sculpture at Briarcliff College in Sioux City, Iowa, 1962.

From 1963 to 1966, he was an instructor of Carving at Ontario College of Art; and from 1971 to 1972, he was artist-in-residence at the School of Architecture at the University of Toronto.

In 1975, he went to Pietrasanta, Italy in order to be close to a foundry and learn bronze casting. For the city of Guelph in Belgium, he did a life-size bronze of a family, unclothed, and this caused much controversy.

Collections include the University of Toronto, City of Guelph, Royal Bank of Canada, Toronto Transit Commission, McMichael Canadian Art Collection and the Oklahoma Arts Center. He was an Associate member of the Royal Canadian Academy, the Sculptors Society of Canada, and the Arts & Letters Club of Toronto.


Sources include:
http://www.kinsmanrobinson.com/dynamic/artist_bio.asp?ArtistID=10
Peter Hastings Falk, Editor, Who Was Who in American Art