“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.” Bill Inman

Inman grew up with an artist for a father and was therefore exposed to the art world at a young age. This exposure fostered an on-going thirst for knowledge on many levels. All aspects of a broad variety of visual medium have been skillfully studied, if not mastered: painting, printmaking, sculpture, illustration and digital animation, plus photography and art history. Bill has completed his studies toward a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting. It is this quest for knowledge that synthesized his passion as a painter.

Inman’s color and design sense were begun under Kesler Woodward at the University of Alaska. Intensive study in painting, drawing, illustration, color and design were continued under Leon Parson at Rick’s College in Rexburg, Idaho. But one of  his most influential instructors at Rick’s College was Arlo Coles (a good friend of Sergei Bongart) who ignited a passion for Russian and French Impressionist imagery and techniques. These influences on the landscape artist helped him combine the French and Russian qualities, and mold them with his own personal style of increased contrast and saturated color to emotionally capture the heart of his collectors.

After six years painting primarily en plein air, Inman realized his preference was for studio work with occasional outdoor expeditions. “I become so focused that disturbances such as wind and shifting sun become distractions – don’t get me wrong, I am outdoors learning the effects of light and color all the time, everywhere I go I am studying nature, I love it, that’s why I paint flowers and landscapes – I just want to make sure that I am fully engaged and can see clearly what I am placing on the canvas. I’m so concentrated when I paint a bomb could go off and I would miss it.” Inman uses his memory, imagination and digital photos as reference to create his naturalistic works. “My goal is to help viewers feel like they are looking out a window or doorway into a beautiful scene, one that beckons to forget the world for a while and simply enjoy the peace and serenity, the incredible beauty Heavenly Father has provided.”

Inman wants as little detail as possible to convey an image so the viewer’s imagination participates. His desire is for the observer to experience the same original enthusiasm that he treasured upon his first encounter with the subject matter. Gardens burst with the colors of stately hollyhocks and fragrant roses. Flowers seem so alive collectors often comment that they can smell the fragrance. Inman stops painting detail when he believes that he has achieved the naturalism and emotive response he is seeking.  One’s eye completes the story started with brush and pigment.

Bill Inman has exhibited consistently since 1983 when he was a Congressional Art Award recipient. This was a huge honor as only one artist from each state was selected for an exhibition that toured the Capital.  In 1999 he was one of the featured artists in Southwest Art Magazine “Artists to Watch” special section.  He is in numerous national and international collections.