William M. Simpson

 1952           Born, Yonkers, NY

1975           B.A. English, B.F.A. Painting, University of Connecticut

1980           M.F.A. Painting, Bowling Green State University

 

 

Selected Exhibitions

2015/16       Leaving Our Mark, Group Drawing Exhibition, D’Amour Fine Art at Springfield Museums, Springfield, MA

2014            Aerial, Solo Exhibition, Springfield College, Springfield, MA

2016            The Nor’Easter Members Exhibition, New Britain Museum of American Art, also 2009/10/11/12/13/15/16

2015            CT+6 Juried Exhibition, West Hartford, CT, Best of Show 2010, Awards 2009/12/13/15

2011            W.M. Simpson: Recent Work, Solo Exhibition, Blue Back Square, West Hartford, CT

2008/09       CT Plein Air Painters Annual Show, Award winner 2009

2008/09       Connecticut Academy of Fine Arts, Mystic, CT, Best of Show 2018

2007/8         J. Russell Janishian Gallery, Fairfield, CT

2006/7         Gregory James Gallery, Kent, CT & New Milford, CT

2006/7         Diane Birdsall Gallery, Old Lyme, CT

2005/6         Picture This Gallery, Westport, CT

2002            Promenade Gallery, Bushnell Theatre, Hartford, CT

 

Current Representation

Michelson Gallery, Northampton, MA

Gallery Antonia, Chatham, MA

JSO Art Associates, Westport, CT

 

Teaching

2013-2016  Oil Painting Instructor, West Hartford Art League, West Hartford, CT

 

Independent Study and Visiting Artist

2014           Three Day Workshop with Eric Aho, Saxtons River, VT

2009           Three Day Plein Air Workshop with Stuart Shils at The Hill-Stead Museum

2008           Two Day Workshop with Eric Aho, The Hill-Stead Museum

2013           Painting Demo, West Hartford Art League

2010/14      Painting Demo and Workshop for Avon Arts Association

2009           Painting Demo for Connecticut Plein Air Painters Society

 

Artist Statement
I make a lot of drawings. I pin these drawings on the walls of my studio - tape them to the windows even - I’m running out of space. These drawings are not schematics meant to solve all the puzzles I will confront in my next painting or large scale charcoal drawing, but rather mental and visual notes to refer to. My studio is like a room full of yellow post-it notes that say, “Remember this!”, “Try that!”, “Mash these too ideas together!”. There are drawings on the walls that have been there for years. To be there that long, there has to be some quality about them that keeps saying, “There’s something here you’re not done with yet, something you need to take another pass at”. That tells me it’s time to do a couple more drawings and figure it out.