William Greer
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BIO
I was born in Minnesota, educated in Colorado, and lived/worked most of my life in New York City.
I’ve drawn since I was a child. I began accepting commissions to illustrate editorials for publications while still in art school. I wound up graduating with BFA and BA degrees in Studio Art & Art History and Communication Psychology, respectively, from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
After moving to New York, I freelanced for The New York Times, Maxim, Nickelodeon and other periodicals while continually painting for myself. Until 9/11 my artwork was represented by the Stendahl Gallery in NY and LA.
I currently live/work in the A-Mill Artist Lofts, a renovated 19th-century flour mill on the Mississippi River in the NE Minneapolis Arts District. Besides galleries, my artwork is exhibited in theaters, hotels, law firms, corporate offices, residential buildings and private collections in the US and Europe.
Artist Statement
Sparked by memories, each piece is a distillation of an interaction with a person or place. Collectively, they form a sort of journal of visual metaphors.
My creative influences include Robert Henri, Susan Rothenberg, Howard Hodgkin, Carl Jung and many more.
Little About William
What inspires your work?
The memory of an interaction with a person or place.
What is something unexpected about you that often surprises people?
I was a fire juggler.
What do you consider your most significant achievement as an artist?
For myself, a sense of more genuine human connection.
How has your work evolved over time?
I begin as a pen & ink Op-Ed Illustrator for the NY Times and other publications.
In painting I make visual metaphors of my own life-experiences.
Is there a particular medium or subject you're drawn to, and why?
Change. A change is taking place in every piece. Change marks my trail.
What's the most challenging part of being an artist?
Not over-thinking.
Do you have a favorite piece you've created? Why does it stand out?
My favorite is always the one I’m working on at the moment. I get absorbed.
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
Born in Minnesota, educated in Colorado, and lived/worked mostly in NYC.
Who are your artistic influences or mentors?
Edward Hopper, Max Beckmann, Susan Rothenberg, Howard Hodgkin and more.
What advice would you give to emerging artists?
Treat the job as serious play.
