has been for sale for some time, as you have seen. The maintenance and ongoing development to keep our non-profit and idealistic platform for contemporary art running and safe from hackers etc. costs money that is no longer there. Because of small investments that are necessary now and the running costs, we will have to shut down with a heavy heart at the beginning of summer on June 21.
Recent Activities of and on william calkins
About me
william calkins (williamcalkins)
“I compose my artworks as I think them, not as I see them.”
My artwork is conceived through an improvisational and multi-influenced approach integrating elements of jazz music, story-telling and abstract surrealism. I use paint, mixed-media drawing and digital techniques to render my evolving series of themes. I like to tell a visual story so viewers can enjoy a complex and personal connection with my artwork.“I compose my artworks as I think them, not as I see them“I compose my artworks as I think them, not as I see them.”
My artwork is conceived through an improvisational and multi-influenced approach integrating elements of jazz music, story-telling and abstract surrealism. I use paint, mixed-media drawing and digital techniques to render my evolving series of themes. I like to tell a visual story so viewers can enjoy a complex and personal connection with my artwork.
- Biography
“I compose my artworks as I think them, not as I see them.”
After fifty years gleaning the urban wilds of Chicago, I currently live off-the-grid in a small mountain valley nestled within the Kootenai National forest.
My earliest art expressions were through cartooning and illustration which directly lead to my fascination with surrealism. As my first love of painting matured, I was next inspired by the Impressionists and modern art movements. During my university years, I became aware of the Chicago Imagist School styles and my art logically followed a similar path. Rounding out my stylistic influences, I adapted West Coast abstract color-field elements into my artwork.
Painting and drawing are my two favorite mediums. I especially like mixed media. Recently I’ve been experimenting with enhancing my hand rendered work with digital techniques. I work in smaller dimensions to bring out the intimate, inner nature of my imagery. In that way, the viewer can enjoy a complex and personal connection with my work.
I express my creativity through an evolving series of themes. Each theme or image explores an improvised mixture of concept and technique. My improvisational approach comes from my 30 year career as a professional jazz musician. Creating my art in series tells a story, each theme a chapter. This concept comes from dabbling with fiction writing. The different mediums I use contribute to the collective visual impact. To me this multi-influence approach seems natural, organic and best represents me as a creative artist.- Publications
https://fineartamerica.com/artists/william+calkins
Thomas Sowa wrote on July 07, 2022 12:33:
Thank you very much, William!
ludmilla között bambula között wrote on August 06, 2020 09:42:
danke es freut mich, liebe Grüsse aus Ungarn
ludmilla között bambula között wrote on July 30, 2020 21:15:
Danke f. Favs. Gruss Milla
thomas gathman wrote on July 30, 2020 17:55:
Thanks for all the favs !!!
Petra Senn wrote on July 04, 2020 09:29:
Thank you very much William !!
Marten Tonnis wrote on July 02, 2020 15:13:
William, thank you for your comment on my work.
Much appreciated. And thanks for liking 'Kleenex'.
Andreas Hahn wrote on July 02, 2020 08:19:
Thanks William for Your likes! What unites us is the association (titles) to our images (comes from imagination).
Marten Tonnis wrote on July 02, 2020 02:48:
Hi William, you've made my day. Thank you so much for the favs !!!
Michael Pointer wrote on April 13, 2019 20:29:
Thanks so much, William!
Odile FEVRE wrote on April 20, 2018 08:49:
Thank you very much for your favorites William!
abdelfattah ameen wrote on April 20, 2018 03:32:
Thank you very much for favorite my art work
Grete Hagen wrote on June 11, 2014 14:54:
Thank you very much !
Petra Senn wrote on December 06, 2013 06:22:
Many thanks William, especially for your comment, appreciate it !!
Joerg Meister wrote on November 12, 2013 19:26:
thank you very much, William!!! very interesting comment!
Sibel Sancar wrote on November 06, 2013 15:30:
Thank you.
Catherine Manchester wrote on November 05, 2013 23:07:
IGreat drawings and images.I love the crow., with its patterning and rhythms
Markus Redert wrote on November 05, 2013 11:19:
Thank you William for your favs. and your nice words!
Markus
Biek Brans wrote on November 04, 2013 20:19:
thanks a lot! for your inspiring comments!
Krzysztof Jankowski wrote on November 04, 2013 13:35:
Thank you very much
Petra Senn wrote on November 04, 2013 06:02:
Many many thanks to you William, I appreciate your comments a lot !!
Michael Pointer wrote on November 03, 2013 21:43:
Thank you for the favorites and your kind comments. I think part of my sky work has to do with growing up in Kansas and spending thousands of hours in the darkroom.
Joerg Meister wrote on November 03, 2013 20:29:
Thank you so much for fav and comment, William!!!
Jochen Teichert, www.artnumen.eu wrote on November 03, 2013 20:29:
...Hello Wlliam, thank you for your view. Jochen
Luke Gilliam wrote on November 03, 2013 18:19:
Thank you for all the favourites William - very much appreciated!!
Hermann Haselstrauch wrote on January 17, 2011 10:40:
thank you so mutch,william!
yael reshef wrote on November 16, 2010 07:13:
Hi William
Thank you very very much for the nice comments you send me
Yael
Nick Gonzalez wrote on November 15, 2010 19:58:
Hi William - really appreciate your interesting, thoughtful, observant and complimentary comments about my work. I just read your 'profile' blurb - much admiration to you! I would aspire to similar sentiments and lifestyle too. I notice other people have also thanked you for your intelligent and heartfelt responses to their work. It is indeed most gratifying. I raise a glass and brush to you! Nick
Nina Nolte wrote on November 14, 2010 22:01:
Dear William, thank you for wonderful comments to my paintings. I great to hear that I apparently achieve what I´d like to express. Best, Nina
Nina Nolte wrote on November 13, 2010 21:11:
Hi, William,
I like your funny heads!
All the best from the other side of the atlantic ocean,
Nina
william calkins wrote on November 12, 2010 16:34:
I'm enjoying this site immensely. All the artists I've made contact with are very inspiring and very talented. The world needs the spark of creativity in all it's forms in times of turmoil. I'm proud to be counted among the artists and creators of the world.
florian breetzke wrote on October 27, 2010 10:06:
thanx william for the fav´s and the lovely comments.
good feedbacks are the fuel to go on!!!!!
i´m realy appreciate it...
all best,
florian
Maria Gust wrote on October 25, 2010 20:11:
I just came back to Hamburg from an art-show and found your comments. Thank you very much!
Best wishes,
Maria
Ridha Ridha wrote on October 23, 2010 02:59:
My friend your works are wonderful and so interesting !!
Ridha Ridha wrote on October 23, 2010 02:58:
Thanks dear william :)
beast wishes and regards
Ridha
Michael Pointer wrote on October 21, 2010 15:29:
Thank you so much for the favorites and comments! I taught photography at Wichita State for a few years- it's nice to read excellent critiques of my work. I get lazy sometimes and don't make a fully fleshed critique. You remind me that I am responsible for that as well, thank you. My work IS quite intense, I love making it, I'm pretty laid back about everything else.
Best regards,
Michael