Life Story | Inman Fine Arts

Norma had us experiment with many different styles and techniques to encourage deeper creativity. This was a contour drawing while only peeking at the paper occasionally. I then did some extra shading.

I enjoyed winning the State Fair with this piece, but I learned an early lesson about journalistic license when they featured me in the local newspaper and claimed I used all my winnings to buy munchies.(click on picture)

Our high school mascot was the Malemute and the school uses my drawing even today for all their stationary and products. The wrestling coach paid me $20 to use it on the new mats, but Nordstrom wouldn't even give me a sweatshirt when they stole my design for their shirts.

An ealy pastel that won first place in the 1981 All Alaska High School Competition. I like expressive strokes and color in artwork.

Here are two more pastels - I really fell in love with pastel after my parents gave me a huge Rembrandt Pastel set for Christmas.

I tried to paint some flowers from photographs - I think I might have painted some fairly successful watercolors, but these aren't them.

This is the piece I won the Congressional Art Award for when I was 17 - Reflection (pastel)/(click on picture)

I attended the University of Alaska/Fairbanks for a semester and really enjoyed some top-notch instruction in color theory from Kesler Woodward.

We were given 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 blue marker and a magazine photo to reproduce. A great exercise for optical color blending. I'm so glad the water didn't destroy the whole picture.

I also tried my hand at straight impact design and color arrangements with mixed media (grocery bags, watercolor, colored pencil, etc.). I am very eclectic regarding the styles and variety of art I enjoy and respect. The division for me is not the style, but the intent. If work is base, violent or destructive; if it is harmful to society or obviously offends the Spirit, I do not have any love for it regardless of the skill of the artist. I know there is a tangible and irrepressible good and evil in this world and art in all its varied forms tends to one side or the other. I am not about book burning by any means, but I also believe in being socially responsible and considerate people and I hope we as a society will cling to artwork that is truly praiseworthy.

Leon Parson | Dinner Guest

I watched Arlo paint this and couldn't resist. He sold it to me for $350.

Leon gave this beautiful print to Kristie and I as a wedding present.

I created Crushing Power for an illustration class with Leon. I think the concept is too obvious in today's economy.

Night Life was an exercise in color and contrast. This was from a photo of missionaries during my time in Colorado.

We spray-painted on top of water, dipped illustration board into the swirled paint and were instructed to compose a picture. I used oils to create this dream of castles and sailboats called Childs Play.

Kristie posed for Watch at Your Own Risk while wearing her Opus-Sold My Soul to Rock in Roll tee-shirt. I thought it fit in well with the TV concept.

I had about four years of life drawing and occasionally Leon would encourage us to add some flair to the figure from our imagination. Egypt (and several other college pieces) was damaged when a washing machine decided our basement needed cleaning.

I thought a real Fish Sandwich would make this a truly Malox moment. This was done with watercolor for an illustration class.

When I finished this mixed media box and presented it to class only Leon understood the lifecycle sequence tiled For Us. The red, white and black circles are paint tube caps.

Our Fashion Illustrations were done from life as well, but we were taught to stretch the figure as we drew (although they were sorely tempted it's tough to get supermodels to leave the comfort and safety of New York).

One of my few surviving life drawings. I covered the charcoal with shellac and used white oil paint to contrast with the paper.

We had a self-portrait assignment each semester. It never crossed my mind while I drew this, but Leon waxed psychological and said I thought I was ready to take on the art world. That's a paint brush in my hand.

I love wildlife; if I wasn't so enthralled with the colors in flowers and landscapes I would be a wildlife artist!

This piece was done with guache which is why you can see some water marks next to the mother swan caused by the washing machine fiasco.

One of the pieces I painted while on location with Arlo.

I love expressive brushwork and even today I struggle not to paint vigorously each time I pick up a brush.




Artist Statement
“Heavenly Father’s purpose for the artist is to inspire—to give us visions of ourselves that we might not otherwise see, to make us better for it.” Author forgotten For thirty years I have never wearied in absorbing the emotion, variety and eternal qualities of beautiful and stirring artwork. Many years ago I sat encircled by Carl Runguis wildlife paintings while tears slipped down my cheeks, overwhelmed by the exquisite excellence. To bless others similarly has been my pursuit as an artist. I strive for such excellence as will leave the collector without regret and consequently allow the subtleties and nuances of the painting to surface over time for the heightened enjoyment of the viewer, enhancing the intrinsic worth of the painting. My painting continues evolving. I search and study relentlessly so I will recognize and incorporate eternal principles and gain Christ-like understanding to improve my talents. This has resulted in the increased naturalism found in my present work. I examine all the work I can to see what merit it has and how it might strengthen my own art. Bill Inman
Quick View
Bill has pursued his dream of creating beautiful art since he first stood at an easel at the age of five. He sold his first painting in a professional gallery while still in high school and has been working as a full-time artist for the last 17 years. To satisfy his love of teaching art he did diverge slightly to finish his MFA in painting in 2006. He continued to provide for his family with the sale of his paintings, but he felt that increasing his education would only enhance his opportunities to serve his collectors and galleries. He is forging creatively ahead and continues to enhance the beauty and naturalism in his work. He looks forward to meeting you and hopes you will feel peace and reassurance while you enjoy his work and experience a moment of the joy he felt while painting. As much as he thanks Heavenly Father daily for the gift of being an artist, his greatest joy is in his family. Kristie and their 7 children have supported and sustained him through every moment. Bill’s life is a dream fulfilled. He is constantly amazed with and wishes to thank the incredible people he has met and worked with as an artist. The gallery owners and collectors are some of the most kind and generous people he knows. He is blessed to show in some of the top galleries in the country and was featured in Southwest Art as ‘An Artist to Watch’. Enjoy the view!

Why I Paint!

In 1966 I was born at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, but three months later when my dad’s four years as a Green Beret were up we hopped in the TR4 convertible and headed for California. How could I help becoming an artist? Most of my favorite memories involve following my dad around the Laguna Arts Festival, art galleries and museums all over southern California. Besides Dick and Jane the only other things I remember about kindergarten were the outdoor painting easels and my painter’s smock. In third grade I built a shadow box with clay dinosaurs I sculpted myself and was entranced by the 3-D realism. When I looked through the small opening I really felt I was looking at another world and to this day I have a vivid picture of half lit ferns and palm trees and mighty dinosaurs. San Juan Capistrano sponsored a Return of the Swallows art contest during my fourth grade year and my painting won me some cherished McDonald’s french fries. In seventh grade I painted my first Switzerland piece to enhance a book report and my poster-sized illustrations of insects won me fourth place for my exhibit on bug respiration in the state science fair. Interspersed along the way were paint-by-number kits, models, watching my dad paint, and lots of miscellaneous creative endeavors. My first ten years I was a beach baby with salt water in my veins; I can still smell the ocean if I close my eyes. When I started fifth grade we moved to western Montana and I equally fell in love with the woods and creeks and the song of the birds early each morning through our log cabin window. My graphic designer/painter dad frequently began each day enjoying coffee, conversation and inspiration with a surprisingly varied group of professional artists (Bob Cavanaugh, Bud Helbig (CA), Mark Ogle, Joe Abbrescia, Sherry Sanders, Chuck Hagel, Linda Tippets, and Frank Davita)who produced sculptures, impressionism, abstract art, non-objective and representational work. This was a boon to his appetite for painting and for mine as well. Whenever he painted, I invariably got to paint. Although my dad loved Cézanne’s structure and color I was drawn to the work of Pizarro and Monet. I was exposed to a lot of different art, but from an early age I loved the impressionists’ views of beauty and color. Color has since been a dominant force in the development of my paintings. Lathrop High School had sixteen hundred students and the best art teacher I could have hoped for. Norma Sharma emigrated from Austria and brought her European aesthetics and discipline with her. She actually taught: she didn’t just tell us to dabble with this or that, she offered constructive instruction and opened up every opportunity for us to compete with students around Alaska.


Norma had us experiment with many different styles and techniques to encourage deeper creativity. This was a contour drawing while only peeking at the paper occasionally. I then did some extra shading.	I enjoyed winning the State Fair with this piece, but I learned an early lesson about journalistic license when they featured me in the local newspaper and claimed I used all my winnings to buy munchies.(click on picture)


Our high school mascot was the Malemute and the school uses my drawing even today for all their stationary and products. The wrestling coach paid me $20 to use it on the new mats, but Nordstrom wouldn't even give me a sweatshirt when they stole my design for their shirts.	An ealy pastel that won first place in the 1981 All Alaska High School Competition. I like expressive strokes and color in artwork.


Here are two more pastels - I really fell in love with pastel after my parents gave me a huge Rembrandt Pastel set for Christmas.


I tried to paint some flowers from photographs - I think I might have painted some fairly successful watercolors, but these aren't them.

From my sophomore to my senior years I repeatedly won best of state competitions and finally pinnacled with the Congressional Art Award with a pastel that toured the Capital Building in D.C. for a year. The combination of Norma’s enthusiasm and my dad’s consistent guidance convinced me that I would be a real artist someday.


This is the piece I won the Congressional Art Award for when I was 17 - Reflection (pastel)/(click on picture)

I attended the University of Alaska/Fairbanks for a semester and really enjoyed some top-notch instruction in color theory from Kesler Woodward.


We were given 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 blue marker and a magazine photo to reproduce. A great exercise for optical color blending. I'm so glad the water didn't destroy the whole picture.


I also tried my hand at straight impact design and color arrangements with mixed media (grocery bags, watercolor, colored pencil, etc.). I am very eclectic regarding the styles and variety of art I enjoy and respect. The division for me is not the style, but the intent. If work is base, violent or destructive; if it is harmful to society or obviously offends the Spirit, I do not have any love for it regardless of the skill of the artist. I know there is a tangible and irrepressible good and evil in this world and art in all its varied forms tends to one side or the other. I am not about book burning by any means, but I also believe in being socially responsible and considerate people and I hope we as a society will cling to artwork that is truly praiseworthy.

My parents were excited for me to attend art school. My dad had enjoyed several classes at Otis-Pratt, Art Center in Pasadena and the California Art Institute and he knew that was my destiny. I started working to save money and attended a semester at the University of Fairbanks. I also read the Book of Mormon and became converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. My dad was sure my art aspirations were doomed, especially when I decided to matriculate to Ricks College (BYU Idaho) the following year. I knew better however and the gospel has increasingly elevated both the aesthetic quality of my work and the discipline I need to accomplish it. Ricks offered exceptional instruction. Leon Parson was my primary drawing and fundamentals instructor and Arlo Coles was a master impressionist who cultivated my deep love for color and expressive brushwork.


Arlo Coles \| 24x30	Leon Parson \| Dinner Guest
I watched Arlo paint this and couldn't resist. He sold it to me for $350.	Leon gave this beautiful print to Kristie and I as a wedding present.

Leon graduated with honors at the top of his class at Art Center in Pasadena. A workaholic with impeccable draftsmanship who averaged two to four hours of sleep a night maintaining his professorship, illustration and fine art career, we students learned quickly that he expected much the same from us.


I created Crushing Power for an illustration class with Leon. I think the concept is too obvious in today's economy.	Night Life was an exercise in color and contrast. This was from a photo of missionaries during my time in Colorado.


We spray-painted on top of water, dipped illustration board into the swirled paint and were instructed to compose a picture. I used oils to create this dream of castles and sailboats called Childs Play.	Kristie posed for Watch at Your Own Risk while wearing her Opus-Sold My Soul to Rock in Roll tee-shirt. I thought it fit in well with the TV concept.


I had about four years of life drawing and occasionally Leon would encourage us to add some flair to the figure from our imagination. Egypt (and several other college pieces) was damaged when a washing machine decided our basement needed cleaning.	I thought a real Fish Sandwich would make this a truly Malox moment. This was done with watercolor for an illustration class.


When I finished this mixed media box and presented it to class only Leon understood the lifecycle sequence tiled For Us. The red, white and black circles are paint tube caps.	Our Fashion Illustrations were done from life as well, but we were taught to stretch the figure as we drew (although they were sorely tempted it's tough to get supermodels to leave the comfort and safety of New York).


One of my few surviving life drawings. I covered the charcoal with shellac and used white oil paint to contrast with the paper.	We had a self-portrait assignment each semester. It never crossed my mind while I drew this, but Leon waxed psychological and said I thought I was ready to take on the art world. That's a paint brush in my hand.


I love wildlife; if I wasn't so enthralled with the colors in flowers and landscapes I would be a wildlife artist!	This piece was done with guache which is why you can see some water marks next to the mother swan caused by the washing machine fiasco.

Arlo was much more casual, but equally committed to the pursuit of excellence. He demonstrated often, nearly finishing a 24x30 inch painting during class. He made it seem so simple and so impossible. I wanted to paint with that same calm command. I took several semesters of watercolor and oil painting with him. I was very fortunate to go out on location to paint with Arlo. When he would demonstrate in class I would be mesmerized, until I was pulled out of my reverie by the other students who had no idea what they were missing while they talked and goofed around. How could anyone who pretended to want to become an artist be so cavalier in the presence of a master. I imagine I have let many opportunities slip by that another would marvel at.


One of the pieces I painted while on location with Arlo.	I love expressive brushwork and even today I struggle not to paint vigorously each time I pick up a brush.


My final year at Ricks I took eleven art awards from the student exhibit and was the top award recipient of the show.


For the next few years I followed fairly close to Arlo’s style and color. I also loved the vibrancy and emotion of Van Gogh. Bright colors and really thick oil paint seduced me for awhile. I succeeded in learning to handle thick paint and juicy color and reveled in the beauty of it, but the Spirit softly whispered to push farther and higher. I wanted those who saw my work to feel that they were granted a transitory entrance where they could relax, remove their shoes and walk refreshingly in the midst of calming beauty. So I started thinning the paint and tightening the draftsmanship and too often ended up with stiff flowers and lackluster landscapes. The subtlety and nuance I sought resulted in extraneous static detail. I explored color science and harmonies as usual, but I began to focus in earnest on edge quality, value range, layering and thick and thin paint combinations. As I pushed the boundaries of my abilities some of my galleries complained, but they waded through with me and allowed me to pursue the promptings of my heart. My painting continues evolving. I search and study relentlessly so I will recognize eternal principles and gain Christ-like understanding to improve my talents. This has resulted in the increased naturalism found in my present work. I have never followed the trends of society for material success; I examine all the work I can to see what merit it has and how it might strengthen my own art. I have been tempted many times to repeat a successful piece or to speed up my process, but fortunately my desire to please my Heavenly Father conquers my financial need to please the market. I believe the Spirit is accelerating the quality of my work because of my adherence to spiritual principles and as long as I strive to improve and follow His will His spirit will guide me. Is my work contemporary? Of course it is. Although Modern and Post-Modern concepts dominated the self-proclaimed intellectual and elite criticism and press of the twentieth century, representational art continued to captivate the hearts and minds of the vast majority of artists, culminating in the increased naturalism and realism found today. Landscapes and flowers have been themes of artists for centuries, but they each had personal experiences and thoughts unique to their lives that shaped their work. My vision is individual and I believe goes beyond what my forerunners accomplished. I have taken what they had to share, basked in the beauty of it, received inspiration and courage from their examples and then purposed to fly higher. I cannot trace my view to any one past painter, but I have borrowed from many. I paint in the same spirit of wonder and awe that they possessed and I believe it will propel me to heights I have only just glimpsed in the fragments of eternity that came with me from my time with our Heavenly Father.