If one enjoys a piece of art, how much do we really need to know about the artist and what motivates them to create art in the first place? Bill Stanton wants you to be guided not by his words but by his brush strokes. He is generally wary of telling too much about himself and putting out any preconceived notions as to who he is as a person or an artist. “The story needs to be discovered by each individual as they take in the art.”
One of Bill’s collectors had this to say about his art: “The broad heavy brush strokes, thick layers of paint and the ample bold use of color in unique combinations immediately attracted us to Bill’s depiction of the coastal seascape with bluffs and trees. Perhaps one would say that his style is a mixture of impressionism, abstraction and some fauvism. Anyway, why bother trying to classify his style? We like it and so do others. The large painting hangs prominently in our living area where numerous people have commented on its striking appearance. Not a day goes by when we don’t look at it and say, “Wow.” No user’s manual is necessary with this piece. It speaks our language.”
Another collector noted, “Bill is a remarkable artist with an incredible talent for capturing the essence of the surrounding Woodlands.”
Others commented on how the art transcended them to another place, bringing a far away scene right into their homes and filling them with a variety of emotions that replicated their own personality.
Aside from landscapes, Bill also paints faces, though he is not interested in doing portraiture, which keeps him from painting people he knows. He has noticed on occasion however that a friend or family members’ likeness will appear in his paintings subconsciously. Always painting directly to canvas without drawing it out first lends to a much more immediate and creative process. Spontaneous adjustments will be made to give the face it’s own look. Changes such as eye color, broadening the face, a new hairstyle, and mixing ethnicities result in a painting far removed from the original reference – not a copy but a creative painting that comes from within. Ideas are formed as the brush is loaded with paint and attacks the canvas. During this process, Bill forgets his surroundings and himself, as he is completely absorbed in the therapy that painting provides him.
Bill was always self-motivated, confident and felt he had an innate ability when it came to art and being creative, despite confusion and lack of self -assurance in other areas of his life. This strength guided Bill through any adversity he faced in his own life. He encourages art in any form that motivates people to think, process and be more aware and less afraid of the world’s turbulent times. In no way does Bill want to be any sort of minister for converting people to his philosophies or his views on art and prefers to share, not force his thoughts on those who care to engage in conversation.
Bill’s ambition as an artist is to create art and not necessarily promote himself in the process. Resigned to the fact that not everyone will love what he does, he finds satisfaction knowing his art brings happiness to many and that it at least evokes a reaction from all who view it. Filling the walls of his own home with works by his grandparents, his partner, their many friends and his own paintings, Bill may seem ambivalent about selling his art. However, he is quick to point out the increase in sales he’s had thanks to the Art Presence Center right here in Jacksonville.