William Rathbun
ARTIST’S PROFILE:
William Stock Rathbun was born in Boston in 1944. He is a ‘Fine Arts’ graduate of Massachusetts College of Art, 1969 and received his Master’s Degree in Painting from the University of Massachusetts, 1975. Rathbun has dedicated his attention to painting, drawing and sculpture with an emphasis on abstract art and an eye for colorful expression in his work. He has worked to develop his own unique graphical painting style and has employed it in his personal and public works. Classical elements of design and composition are signature characteristics of his style.
Rathbun’s studio is located in the hills of Leverett Massachusetts. The rocky and forested New England landscape there inspires him. He has been artistically motivated by the courses of our cultural and artistic development as well as elements of nature. These forces compel him to create works of art that are spiritually captivating.
Rathbun paints in oils and watercolors using personal symbols and expressive techniques to create colorful compositions that reflect and interpret themes he finds all around him. He creates personal works of art that are poetic and lyrical. His work reflects our contemporary psychological environment as it makes references to the natural world. He is continuously experimenting with a variety of styles and mediums that include paintings, sculpture, works using integrated mediums and decorative objects. Currently, Mr. Rathbun is expanding his artistic repertoire to include neon and glass in sculpture as additions to his portfolio.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT & STYLE:
My artistic style has evolved over time but I have been consistently interested in exploring the philosophical, social, spiritual and psychological aspects of art. I like to make images and objects that express my ‘inner feelings’ about my life and surroundings. My work employs traditional techniques, classical design and contemporary ideas. I am motivated by history; music and the desire to make works of art that have aesthetic integrity, artistic value and challenging imagery. I work in large and small scale. I use conventional and diverse materials to achieve the results I seek. I use a variety of personal techniques, symbols and several mediums to make works of art that trigger people’s imagination and allow them to use their own interpretatation to decipher the images I put in my work. My paintings and objects may be viewed as portraits and landscapes of the human soul. They are spiritual celebrations of my life.