Bill's inspiration to paint comes from three sources. Perhaps most significantly, as a child he suffered from a physical condition which greatly hindered his ability to walk and run. His condition led to a fascination with all types of action and, as a child of the prairies, it was only natural that his eye would focus on things such as galloping horses and the grace and power of an outdoor hockey game.

  With his home environment of the Canadian prairies cold for six months of the year, He grew up loving the wintertime, both its shining beauty and its starkness. It was within this environment of action and arctic weather that his brothers — Bob and Don — emerged as my role models, his heroes per se. He was mesmerized, watching as they cut down the ice, swooped in on the puck like a bird of prey, banked away sharply, then glided like a great eagle on an updraft. In later years, Bob even went on to star in the American Hockey League with the New York Rovers – farm team of the NHL’s New York Rangers. His brothers brought to life the power and poetry of hockey. 

 From the familial roots he ventured into the world of art. Graduated from the Alberta College of Art (Calgary, AB., Canada) in 1957. The he was a professional graphic designer for some 30 years, finishing his career as Art Director in one the city’s top advertising firms: Francis, Williams and Johnson. During that time he received a Canada Council Grant in 1975 to paint the vanishing railroad architecture of the Prairies and that series of original paintings was widely exhibited. As well, in 1981 he received a commission from the Calgary Winter Olympic Development Association to render a series of serigraphs depicting the games’ events. There were later used as part of Calgary’s winning bid for the 1988 Winter Olympics.

  Viewpoint:
  “In a world preoccupied with the bizarre, the sensational and horrific, He finds great enjoyment in watching children at play. Their joyous laughter, enthusiasm and naivete are a source of endless fascination – especially when the setting is a hauntingly beautiful prairie or foothills landscape.”

  Signatures are part of the printing process. Greeting card type card opens up to write a letter. 6" x 9" Card comes with envelope and mylar sleeve. Image is a licensed print by Island Art

  Any questions? Please contact us