William went to college to be a graphic designer and illustrator and worked in that field for about a decade, mostly for a toy company in a Chicago suburb. His work has been shown in galleries in the Midwest, New York and Toronto. For 8 years, he sold hundreds of watercolor paintings and original relief prints in art fairs all over the Midwest, Florida and New York, winning many awards. He has work in Ronald McDonald House: Peoria, Western and Eastern Illinois University collections. He has maintained a studio on the 3rd floor of the Contemporary Art Center since 1996. William lives in Peoria and has served the Contemporary Art Center of Peoria as Executive Director since 2003.
Statement
I channel detritus from my subconscious like comic book imagery, pictographs, logos, typography and block printing. I am going for a surrealist approach with a pop art sensibility. My work is influenced by Le Corbusier, Keith Haring, Elizabeth Murray and Joan Miro.
Every painting begins with absent minded doodles. I allow my sub-conscious to direct me, rather than planning out the composition based around an initial idea. These drawings are often enlarged and developed into color studies. Creating a study gives me more confidence as I work on the final piece.
A jigsaw and rasps are used to cut out the shapes from panels. I paint with acrylic using brushes and household paint rollers, always experimenting with alternative paint applications. Happy accidents are welcome, while I balance the line between carelessness and order. As I progress, I make conscious design decisions, while remaining true to the initial doodle.
Because of my approach, I don’t have a handle on the meaning. After the works are completed, the challenge of naming them begins. I prefer titles that remain in the realm of mystery. I attempt to interpret my work through the looking glass of what tends to engage my conscious mind.
A clue to my creative spawn is my compulsion to resolve opposing forces. Fascinated with the science behind pigment, I pair colors that are opposite on the color wheel to create a vibrating effect. Cutout work is a hybrid resolution of sculpture and painting. The concept of a dual personality or opposing interpretations of the same event is very intriguing. Opposing forces can somehow occupy the same space and it is all about managing the tension.
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