EAST MEETS WEST IN COLOR THAT SINGS

Bill Buchman is a popular and prolific artist whose expressive work draws on his extensive musical background. A deep familiarity with what is meant by a harmony, a melody, and a rhythm informs his every move with the brush. He is known for his abstractions, characterized as “symphonies of space, form and color” and his figures, described as “lightning bursts of energy condensed into a fine line”. His paintings and drawings offer a paradox: the works are bold and assertive yet their openness invites viewers to imagine their own stories.

Bill says, “Art has the power to transport us beyond our everyday experience. My painting language is built around the idea of communicating harmony, optimism, and joy to fashion an experience of visual surprise. My aim is to make paintings that are inspirational and therapeutic. My own inspiration comes from a fusion of the worlds of Zen painting, 20th century Modernism, and Jazz. The collision of these realms in my art leads to the discovery of new possibilities and unexpected revelations. With color, line, shape, and texture as the pure elements of my abstract and figurative vocabulary, I capture the rhythms and melodies of body and spirit.”

Bill studied painting and drawing with well-known teachers Victor D’Amico, at the Institute of Modern Art, East Hampton, NY and Fletcher Martin at the Albany Institute of Art, in Albany, NY. He attended Cornell University, School of Fine Arts, studying with abstract expressionist Robert Richenburg.  A fine jazz pianist, Bill has a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree from the New England Conservatory of Music as well. Before moving in 2001 to Sarasota, Florida, Bill worked and exhibited his paintings for twenty years in Europe primarily in Scandinavia. His works may be seen in private and public collections in the US, Denmark, Sweden, and England. Accomplished as an artist, educator, author, and musician, Bill, along with exhibiting his work and performing frequently, gives workshops and seminars on creativity, abstraction and figure drawing. His five DVD’s on these subjects and his innovative book, “Expressive Figure Drawing” (Random House 2010) are quite popular. With his unique musical “Zen” approach, Bill has been spreading delight and inspiring many people for many decades.