Background
Willms was born in Abbotsford, British Columbia in 1969.
Willms was born in Abbotsford, British Columbia in 1969.
He has moved houses countless times throughout his life, living in Fort Saint John, Dawson Creek, Grande Prairie, and Kamloops, which he considers his hometown. Since 1994 he has lived in Edmonton, Alberta. At eighteen years old, Willms was injured in a motorcycle accident, resulting in a below-knee amputation of one legal
Ever adaptable, Willms defied this disability as an avid snowboarder and cyclist.
This formal education ironically left Willms feeling "disillusioned with the arts completely". Willms married, and had two children.
A visit to the steel sculpture studio of Peter Hide reignited Willms" interest in art Hide took Willms on, initially as an exhibition preparation volunteer, then as a studio assistant, and eventually as a Master of Fine Arts student at the University of Alberta.
During his time at the school, Willms co-founded the Society of Student Artists (SoSA), now known as the University of Alberta Visual Arts Student Association (VASA).
After leaving university, Willms joined the North Edmonton Sculpture shop (NESW).
Willms is a member of the Edmonton Contemporary Artists" Society (ECAS).