"A favorite painting of mine hangs at the Met. I used to visit it often, captivated by the joy of beholding a deeply familiar beauty elevated by each new discovery I made. St. Simons's charm has the same allure. It is lovely at first glance, but it's years of falling in love that leave me astonished and inspired to paint here. I remember building sand castles and digging moats as a kid with my brother until after sunset, returning home shivering as the rising tide swallowed our creations. I learned to ride a bike on the firm grey sand of East Beach. It was here I first felt awe for a landscape and dreamt of becoming an artist professionally. The other worldly beauty of this place planted that idea so early and so deep I really had no other choice. I studied art in high school in Atlanta, earned BFA from The University of Georgia and furthered my education as a merit scholar and teacher's assistant at The Art Students League in New York City where I lived and worked for 11 years. I live now with my wife and son in Hawaii surrounded by the lush jungle of Kauai's north shore. Wherever else my artistic journey takes me I know this for sure, it will always bring me home to St. Simons Island" ⏤ William