Today we’d like to introduce you to William Hall.
William, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I feel that the journey of every artist should be one of self-discovery. My first attempts at making art were very derivative. I was influenced by the many artists that I admired. My job was to find my own unique voice. It could not be forced but had to be allowed to evolve naturally. I produced a lot of bad art before I could move on to mediocre. As I plodded along, I would stumble onto something unique, some small bit that resonated and felt right. My next piece would repeat that small bit and discard other things that did not feel right. This process continued until more things felt right than felt wrong. I was following my internal voice rather than trying to reach a conscious goal. I’ve always been drawn to tactile surfaces; my work became thicker and more textural. Then it happened. While working on the construction of my house, I discovered cement! This new medium filled my mind with new possibilities for my art. I noticed how good it felt and how versatile it was. It began to speak to me. It revealed textures, colors and surfaces that I had never seen before. My art became an exciting adventure where I could experiment, break new ground and trust my instincts once again.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
Abstract art, or for that matter, any form of art, is subject to rules pertaining to the use of form, line, texture, color, balance and rhythm along with many other factors. Basic fundamentals that need to be learned practiced and understood. If not, the artists is limited in creative options and potential. Some lucky few, intuitively understand what makes art work. Artists often speak of working on auto pilot and not over thinking their art, relying on gut instinct. This works best when those instincts are grounded in sound knowledge and experience. So, just as with dancing, the basics need to be grasped and understood before they can be bent or ignored. The accomplished artists has learned to listen and interpret his or her own rhythm and therefore bring something unique and personal to the dance. My art is process driven. I allow the medium I am using to do what it does best. I learn from and take advantage of its capabilities. I have always had a primordial attraction to the beauty and character of fossils and sedimentary stone. Not only are they gorgeous but the fact that they are formed over eons makes them a frozen record of the distant past. I am intrigued by the fact that their formation is not governed by design, but almost totally by random chance. How is it that serendipity consistently delivers such wonderful results? My technique is a streamlined investigation of the natural process that forms fossils or sedimentary rock with attention to keeping the pieces light enough to easily hang on standard walls. I use pigmented grout to capture and preserve a remnant of my creative process and experience, not the particularity of my initial design or intent. Most of my major breakthroughs have been as a result of this process. Chance is a major factor in all evolution, but its mechanism is very slow. I purposely speed it up and give it free rein. The layers I apply first are hidden by subsequent applications but exposed again in their original order when the piece is cast. I include found objects and recycled refuse as a statement for future contemplation. I am working almost blind and in reverse. This allows me to become an observer as well as a contributor. The original wax sculpting is melted away after casting. The resulting work is a reversed negative textural image. My intent is to explore the contradiction of the initial design and learn from the somewhat random artifact left behind. I am, at times, humbled by the results. I am intrigued by the ambiguity of initial concepts in relation to their fruition and the unpredictable consequences of my actions and decisions. If I pay close attention, the work shows me what it is meant to be.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I have an upcoming one-man show with the Texas Artists Coalition at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center that runs through September 2018. I have another one-man show at 500X Gallery in May of 2019 in Dallas. My work is represented worldwide by Saachiart.com, Indiewalls.com, and SmartArtinc.com. There is a wealth of information about my work on my website, WilliamHallArt.com and I post almost daily on Instagram, @williamhallart. If individuals cannot purchase my work, a follow on Instagram furnishes much appreciated support and encouragement, plus keeps you up to date with what I’m up to!
Contact Info:
- Address: 1209 Ivy Court, Cedar Hill, Texas 75104
- Website: WilliamHallArt.com
- Phone: 972 765 3040
- Email: William@WilliamHallArt.com
- Instagram: @williamhallart
Image Credit:
All art and photos are supplied by and the property of the artist William Hall
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