Bill Cochrane, of Scottish and Cree descent, grew up on the original Peguis Reserve now called St. Peters. He was raised on his father's farm just north of Selkirk, around Breezy Point, but left at the young age of twelve. With little education but remarkable physical prowess, Bill had little difficulty finding employment which he soon did in the pulp mills of Pine Falls.

After a period of various jobs Bill traveled north to Fort McMurray, Alberta where he became a camp attendant for a catering company for almost twenty years. It was there he acquired the nickname, 'Wild Bill.'

Bill was a very formidable man to get on the wrong side of. His wife, Dorothy, has over the years provided a mellowing influence, but it was those stories of Bill's early life that encouraged me to pursue a drawing that portrayed his strong physical presence. Even now at 78 years of age (born in 1927) Bill has the vitality of a much younger man.

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William Cochrane
Cree, Peguis First Nation
Image size: 11 x 13 inches
Edition size: 575