Jeff Williams
I came to painting later in life. After a career in architecture and education (teaching design and drawing), I retired with the goal of traveling and learning to paint, expecting this combination to provide continued stimulation throughout the remainder of my life. Through architecture I was inspired by the beautiful watercolor renderings of old, and plein air painting was recommended to me as the best way to learn, thus my painting journey began there. Not long after, I serendipitously found my way onto the plein air circuit, with my first years on the circuit spent learning to paint in the challenging medium of watercolor. The circuit provided the very enjoyable challenge of constantly painting/experimenting with new subjects in new locations, under pressure and time constraints. I met and learned from wonderful peers and patrons, put in many brush miles, and I was fortunate to find success along the way.
I continue to experiment in some way with each painting. Early paintings were typically inspired by a discovered composition, lighting condition or subject. At this point in my development, these efforts absorbed all of my attention. However, eventually I wanted more. While continuing to paint extensively on the plein air circuit, the last few years have also been spent exploring the idea of painting. As a result, I have done extensive reading about art history as well as about various artists’ lives, trying to understand why they painted, what ideas were behind their paintings, and why others are moved by their work. In addition, I regularly inquire why my peers paint, trying to discover the same from them. (There is always more to learn!)
I have also stepped back and surveyed my own paintings. What I discovered is that whatever I choose to paint must feel “authentic” to me. In my earliest work I was enamored with nature, feeling that it provided a freedom that the constraints of architecture had not provided. Eventually, however, I became quite intrigued with the relationship between the man-made and natural worlds, often complimenting organic shapes and man-made forms. As I search for beauty and truth in the world around me, I enjoy finding this in the everyday scenes around us. In addition, the passage of time has become a common theme in my work, often in quite different ways (documenting the history of a subject; capturing the patina of a wall, tree or rock; capturing seasonal changes; celebrating the various seasons of nature; bringing attention to the sculptural qualities of a dead tree or decaying building; etc. etc.).
I do not know where my work will go from here, but I do know that I will continue to be curious and experiment. As I continue to work en plein air, I am also exploring larger watercolor paintings that are begun in the field, from life, but completed in the studio, painting the regional landscape around my home (Oklahoma/Texas). I am also experimenting with oil painting as a compliment to watercolor. We shall see where that goes! What a privilege it is to be able to dream, enjoy and explore!