William Bond Walker

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Abstract

Untitled 1970, 1970	Witch's Mirror, 2009	Yellow Painting No.2, 1994
City, 1953	The City, 1960	Chopsticks, 1993
Bridge, 1998	Geometric No. 29, 2003	Geometric No.21, 2002
Grand Plaid Geometric, 2001	Green Abstraction, 1989	January Abstraction, 1996
Joseph's Coat No.5, 1989	New Mexico Landscape, Bright, 1982	Portal, 1991
Spectrum, 1999	Studio Carousel , 1997	Summer Storm, 1990
Geometric No. 1, 2001	Urban Landscape: Homage to RD, 1999	Urban Mandala No.3, 2006
Yellow Splash, 1993

Representational

74 Oak: Beware The Dog, 2004	Bathing Party No.1, 2000	Blue Clouds, 2006
Boys Waiting, 1959	Cloud and Mountain, 2006	Dark Mountain, 2006 Sold
Early Autumn, 2006	Earth the Third Day (From the Four Elements), 1996	Front Yard, 2005
Golden Tree, 2005	Hemlock at Lakeside No.2, 1997	Irises, 2000
Jason's Sunflowers, 1998	Late Afternoon, 2005	Morning Express, 2004
Queechy Lake, 2005	Rehoboth Woods I, 1995	Studio Still Life, 1997
Studio: Crated Furniture, 1998

Artist Statement

At a time when many artists work in video or installations or environments, I prefer to paint-- at the easel or on a tabletop, or in books. In the past I have worked in formats as large as 48 x 60 but in recent years have preferred to work smaller: 20 x 30, or 18 x 24. Working concurrently with easel paintings I keep several sketchbooks going. These “miniatures” are occasionally studies for larger works, but usually are done as ends in themselves. Rarely a leaf may be cut out and framed.

My choice of “subject” is usually abstraction, developed intuitively. Images sometimes emerge, and when appropriate are kept in the development of the painting, and finally may dominate the painting. On other occasions I set out to produce representational paintings, especially landscapes, or less frequently, still lifes or figure paintings. These typically incorporate some degree of abstraction.

I am interested in the power of color and the interaction of color and “design” as components in the evolution of a painting, whether abstract or representational.

In all formats the medium of choice is usually acrylic on paper or board, occasionally combined with ink or crayon. Less frequently I work in casein on paper or board, or rarely, acrylic on canvas. Acrylic compels (or allows) one to work rapidly, but offers flexibility in application of the paint: impasto or thin, opaque or transparent glazes. Blotting the wet surface with textured paper or distressing the wet top layer of paint allows the color underneath to show through, enlivening the surface of the work. The medium’s speed in drying allows over painting and reworking within a short time.

My masters in painting range from Cezanne to Matisse to Dienbenkorn; I am further inspired by the work of Bonnard, Beckmann, Marin, and Marini.

Every painting is a new beginning.

September 2007

Artist Bio

William Bond Walker

Education:

1948-49 BisttramSchool of Fine Arts, TaosNM and Los AngelesCA

1949-53 University of Iowa, Iowa City BA in Art/Art History 1953

1957 Pratt Graphic Art Center, NY NY Summer workshop

1958 Rutgers University, New Brunswick NJ MA in Library Science

Exhibitions - Solo (Selected)

2005 ParkRowArtGallery, ChathamNY

2003 University of Rochester, Gallery of the Art & Music Library, RochesterNY

2002 BecketArtsCenter, Becket MA

2000 ParkRowArtGallery, ChathamNY

2000 WisemanArtGallery, Old ChathamNY

1999 Hudson Arts Walk, Friends Meeting House, HudsonNY

1998 Hall Space Gallery, ChathamNY

1998 Hudson Opera House, HudsonNY

1997 ParkRowArtGallery, ChathamNY

1996-97 Truffles & Such, Pittsfield NY Retrospective exhibition

Exhibition - Two-Person

2001 Berkshire Artisans, PittsfieldMA, with Franco Pellegrino

Exhibitions - Group (Selected)

2004, 2002, 2001 Carrie Haddad Gallery, Hudson NY Works on paper

2004 Columbia County Council on the Arts, HudsonNY Ten, a small works show

2003 Hudson Arts Walk, HudsonNY Show at Old Pocket Book Factory

2001 ShakerMountain PerformingArts Festival, DarrowSchool, New LebanonNY

2000 Carrie Haddad Gallery, HudsonNY Painted Cities

2000 Train Station Gallery, West Stockbridge MA included 12 paintings by Walker

2000 Spencertown Academy Spencertown NY Juried show

1999 Atelier 5, CanaanNY Prominence of Light

1998 Atelier 5, CanaanNY Six Canaan artists

1998, 1997 SpencertownAcademy, Spencertown NY Annual juried shows

1997 ParkRowArtGallery, Chatham NY Columbia County Council on the Arts members

1997 BerkshireMuseum, PittsfieldMA juried show, Berkshire Art Association members

1997 Carrie Haddad Gallery, HudsonNY Landscapes by eight artists

Collections: Paintings in 48 private collections in 13 states, California to Massachusetts

In two corporate collections: ABC-TV, NY NY; Heller Ehrman...WashingtonDC

Employment as a Library Director:

Between 1959 and 1994 held position of library director at the following art museums: BrooklynMuseum 1959-1964; National Collection of Fine Arts and National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution 1964-1980; Metropolitan Museum of Art 1980-1994. Retired 1994

Honors:

Phi Beta Kappa, Iowa 1953; Who’s Who in America, 1980-present; Who’s Who in American Art, 1978-present; President of Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS-NA) 1975; Distinguished Service Award of ARLIS/NA, 1991.

The Artists

William Bond Walker

Abstract

Representational

Artist Statement

Artist Bio