Featured Artist William Kendall

William Kendall’s abstract paintings reflect inspiration from the beauty of the coastal landscape and his lifelong love of color. Enjoy more of his art by visiting his website.

 

 

I am an abstract painter—I always have been.

 

 

I have been trained in the classical tradition. I have a BS degree from the University of Minnesota, a MS and MFA degrees from the University of Wisconsin, at Madison. I am a Professor Emeritus from Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts where I taught painting for thirty years.

 

 

After a ten year hiatus, a move to the coastal town of Westport, Massachusetts, revived my desire to paint again. I built a studio, where I now paint daily, inspired by the sights and sounds of the sea. I am involved with color—the paint is the subject of my work. I try to use combinations I have never used before.

 

 

My process is a complicated layering of pigment, using impasto, scumbles and glazes. I try to experiment with the painting surface. I try to create space by using techniques that I have developed over time.

 

 

Color is very difficult to use—one must have the knowledge to know what will happen when glazes are applied and edges meet.

 

 

Painting for me is not fun. It is a constant struggle to create something on a canvas that I have never painted before. This process is ongoing and I work on several paintings at the same time. Many of my works take months to complete. On rare occasions one will suddenly surprise me and finish itself in a few hours.

 

 

Trying to get to that certain moment when it all seems to come together, and work as a whole, is my goal. When that happens, I have a feeling of pleasure and achievement; I often look at the finished painting, and wonder how I ever painted it!

 

 

Each one of my paintings is unique—I could never replicate it again due to the improvisational quality of my paint handling.

 

 

Only when I feel the painting is finished, do I name it. The titles are always inspired by my surroundings, usually referring to the ocean which is within my view.

 

 

This renaissance in my painting, although difficult at times, has also been an enjoyable journey. I am, once again, involved with galleries and shows, selling art on the internet, meeting other artists and of course, the enthusiastic collectors from around the world who seem to appreciate my efforts.

 

 

What more could a painter wish for?

 

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