shapes and larger topographic elements. In both cases, the viewer does not have passive interaction with the piece; it is truly an experience to
look at and engage with them.
Seeing the breadth and style of Williams’ work, it is not surprising that he has a love for the Abstract Expressionists. This group of painters
is famous for its focus on the practice of painting, not necessarily what a painting represents. Williams particularly cites Arshile Gorky, often
called the father of Abstract Expressionism, as influencing his work. The pieces in Williams’ “Finding New Places to Discover” series recall
Gorky’s bold use of blacks and grays and subtle shading work. Gorky has been quoted as saying, “Abstraction allows man to see with his
mind what he cannot physically see with his eyes. … Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond the tangible, to extract the infinite
out of the finite. It is the emancipation of the mind. It is an explosion into unknown areas.”
Williams’ skill and creativity in abstraction and multimedia techniques achieve this palpable liminal space, somewhere between the
known and unknown, the tangible and the intangible, the real and the imagined.
Williams is a college teacher and a father to two girls, along with being an accomplished and prolific artist. He currently teaches several
courses online and has also taught courses in 2D design at Cape Fear Community College. Williams maintains his love of the environment
in his artwork, but also
through gardening
and lawn design.
“My yard is my other
palette,” he says. “I love
working with my hands.
Gardening is a lot like
painting for me and
when I’m putting down
dirt and planting things,
it’s almost like I’m mak-ing
art.”
Williams’ paintings
are full of both physical
and intellectual energy,
which makes them
exciting to look at. All
his pieces are at once
both personal and spe-cific
and are simultane-ously
broad in scope
canvases and done in
large series, Williams’
paintings will pull you
in and take you on an
immersive and unique
adventure.
Williams’ work will
be featured in an
Abstraction show at
Virginia Wesleyan
University through
March 7 and can be
found in multiple gal-leries
in the Wilmington
53
and intimately relat-able.
Often on huge
area.
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM
Cartography Series No. 12:
Setting a New Course No. 1,
48 x 48 inches, mixed media
on canvas.