QUOTES AND ART PHILOSOPHY

 

"Bill James is one of the top artists in the country - in three media, a very rare situation. His work in pastel, watercolor, and oil is superb. His sense of design is unerring. He is what we (fine artists) call a "gutsy" artist, who willingly takes risks - and makes it work. When I selected the artists for my Design book, Bill was a "must" on my list."

Margot Schulzke - artist and writer for the Artists Magazine 



"I've noticed your work over the years and have seen it 
progress beyond techniques. I feel that can be a medium trap that 
inhibits a lot of artistic growth. You bring something to the work 
that is a bit more than than your articulated goals, though I'm sure you have not been congratulated for it. The "it" can be called a 
combination of sight and insight  - a visual translation of seeing and understanding."

Burt Silverman - master fine artist



"Trifecta: Triumphing in Three Media."  

The Artist's Magazine



"Bill James is a veteran of three mediums, an insightful observer of humanity who tells an intimate story with masterful strokes of color." 
                                                                                                                                           Rachel Wolf - editor of  North Light Books.



"Because James' craft (superior in not one but three media) is so confident, he can create compositions that seem discovered rather than planned. His work is serious as it is beautiful."

Maureen Bloomfield - editor of The Artist's Magazine 



"Bill James is hard-core talent. Technically, his pastels and watercolors are amazing... what he does is just really stunning. It's just downright quality technique."

Dr. Leslie Hammond - chief curator of the Appleton Museum of Art
2008



"Bill's work is spontaneous but accurate."

Steve Doherty - editor of American Artist Magazine



"It was such a pleasure to write about an artist with such extraordinary talent."  

Jessica Canterbury - associate editor/writer for the Pastel Journal



"Bill James doesn't just paint. He is consummate storyteller
of lives from the heart side. It's one thing to draft
out a painting well. It's another thing to fill the painting surface
with story, rebellion, emotion, vitality, and spirit."

  Margaret Ferraro - artist




 




When painting, my objective is to tell a story and, at the same time, conjure up some emotion from the viewer of my art. This can be done in several ways. With my figurative work, it could be an expression on the subjects face, a situation the figure is in, or a costume that the subject is wearing. Along with this, I will exaggerate the mood by the use of color. With landscapes, I try to get more of an intellectual response from people who view my paintings. This can be achieved by creating a unique design pattern and color scheme. By using certain colors, an emotion can be expressed. To accomplish all this, I work with three different  media - pastel, oil, and watercolor.

I attended Syracuse University for four years and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. For the first part of my career, I worked as an illustrator. Working with so many styles, I created the unique painting techniques I use today. When working with pastel, oil, and watercolor as an illustrator, I developed a love of painting figures and telling stories by the use of expressing emotion. During that time, I constantly worked on my own paintings consisting of figurative works as well as landscapes. 

Currently, I have four artist`s titles behind my name. I am a signature member of the Pastel Society of America (which has awarded me with the title of Master-Pastelist), the American Watercolor Society (which has awarded me the title of Dolphin Fellowship), the National Watercolor Society, and the Knickerbocker Artists (an exclusive art society of only master artists). I was asked to be a member of that society without showing a customary portfolio. Since 1947, that was done only one other time. Today, I work exclusively a fine artist.