williamholt's Profile

Bio

After graduating from college with a Master's Degree in drawing and painting, where I studied under realists Don Hendricks, George James and Don Lagerberg, among many other accomplished teachers, I took off for Europe (very big idea back then) where my friend had rented a house in Aix en Provence in the south of France. After traveling around for about eight months or so, I returned to Southern California, and for the next few years made a living as an Art Director in the advertising field, while at the same time continuing to develop my painting style.

After a few years, I was ready for a change, so I loaded up my car with everything that was important to me and moved to Connecticut, where I continued to work as a graphic designer. A few years ago I returned to SoCal to take care of my aging mother, who has since passed away.

I now live a quite life in a one of the few remaining areas still able to be described as "country" in Southern California. This peaceful, serene existence allows me to put all my creative energies into my artwork, while being able to block out the hustle and bustle of the outside world. After years of creating for others, I am now in a position to create art on my own terms.

Being influenced early in my career by the art of Alex Katz and David Hockney, whose work I admire greatly, like them, I do not follow "trends", and refuse to adjust my style or subject matter "for the marketplace", preferring to express my ideas in my way. Although I continue to paint, for the last couple of years I have become obsessed with printmaking, finding the process to be meditative and the results exciting and often unpredictable. Since printmaking involves a lot of technical aspects, it often takes weeks or even months to produce new images. An etching plate alone can take 40-60 hours to "get right", before the actual printing even begins. Hence, the limited number of pieces in my "store". There are many plates, woodblocks, linoleum blocks and yes, even canvases laying around in various states of development, which I will eventually finish, when the ideas in my head are able to be translated into images on my plates.

My work can be found in numerous private and public collections, including the Connecticut Historical Society, Ford Motor Company, the Flour Corporation, and American Express, among others. I have a moderate list of awards, but do not feel it necessary to list them here. I would rather you enjoy my art because it moves you in some way, not because of the awards it has received.

All of my original prints are hand-pulled, by me personally. Aside from using a hand-cranked etching press for my aquatints, etchings and linoleum block prints, no mechanical or digital processes were used in producing my original prints.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for your interest in my work.

William

ps: If you might have a small cottage somewhere on the East Coast that you would be interesting in renting to a quiet artist, please contact me. Moving back East is another one of my dreams.

Member
Los Angeles Printmaking Society
eMOCA

Male, Born on January 9

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