"Bill Beebe is an extremely talented artist who listens and works well with people who commission him to do a painting. We feel so lucky to own two of his masterpieces. One was commissioned and one is one of his finest works that we were lucky to obtain. He is diligent in his work and spent a long time with us creating a painting that was exactly what we wanted. His work is amazing and we feel fortunate to own two of his paintings." ~ Cindy and Phil Eichenholz
Artist Statement
Witnessing in present day what others saw a hundred years ago or more inspires me to paint not only the historic wooden ships I have admired for years but also the many wonderful European villages and towns I have recently discovered. I see myself as an old soul with an appreciation of beautiful places and objects that have withstood the test of time. The weathered but well maintained subjects possess character and interest which adds a richness and depth to a painting.
The interpretation of the scene, what the artist conveys through expressive brushstrokes, unique perspective and creative color usage is what separates the ordinary from the masterpiece. Since my art is a form of self-expression, I carefully and sometimes painstakingly review the vast array of subject matter in order to commit myself to the time required to create a painting that will fulfill my expectations. I endeavor to be meticulous about detail and accuracy, creating paintings that stand up to a critical eye. My initial visualization determines the level of detail and style in the beginning, although I am not averse to breaking down a painting that has been over developed in order to improve it. Each painting goes through an evolutionary process, never formulated. On the contrary, I prefer to go with moments of spontaneity and enjoy having the paint surprise me.
Through the years I have admired the maritime work of John Stobart, Thomas Hoyne and Donald Demers. Recently I’ve been more influenced by the American and European Impressionists. Studying the work of Sicily, Monet, Whistler, Frank Benson, Sargent and Chase has challenged me to look at each new project with a more open mind. I’ve evolved to a place where I most certainly appreciate realism and the expertise necessary to achieve it but creativity of style, usage of paint, careful selection of color and tone all have become as interesting and important as the composition itself. Achieving a painterly work is a high priority. I want my paintings to endure over time just as my beloved subjects have throughout the years!
Biography
William R. Beebe was born in Bethesda, Maryland in 1956. He has been a fine artist painting full-time for 21 years. Professionally, his career started after moving to the coast of Maine. Childhood memories on the Chesapeake, twelve years on the Maine coast and now living in Virginia on the Chesapeake, William has always been drawn to the sea. He has continuously been honing his skills; painting the subjects he loves ranging from schooners and ships to seascapes and landscapes. Constantly evolving and exploring variations of style and subjects, his representational work ranges from highly detailed and crisp to more painterly and Impressionistic. His oil paintings have been described as “museum quality” as there is a depth and richness to them that demonstrates a high level of expertise and mastery.
William is a graduate of the University of Maryland in Fine Art. He started painting in college where his teacher in portrait painting greatly encouraged him to develop his talent. For a number of years he enjoyed painting as a hobby. The first maritime artist William took note of was John Stobart. He also admires the historic wooden schooner paintings of Thomas Hoyne and Donald Demers. More recently, studying the Impressionist works of Sisley, Monet, Whistler, Frank Benson, Sargent and Chase has inspired him and influenced his techniques.
In 2009 William was commissioned to paint a French landscape. His exhaustive research motivated him to take some time to paint European landscapes. His style has evolved, becoming more impressionistic with expressive brushstrokes, use of texture and a softer palette. He is currently focused on Italy and France. Along with this sojourn into European landscapes, William has a renewed interest in commission work including the world of portraiture.
William’s paintings are in major private and corporate collections in the United States and abroad. His painting On Monhegan Island has been featured in several publications including American Art Review and a book entitled The Art of Monhegan Island.
William’s paintings have been exhibited in numerous gallery and museum shows throughout the years. His work has been shown at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine and at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, Oregon, where he won a Merit award in the 12th Annual Maritime Art Exhibition. Additionally he has been a part of several Marine Masters Exhibitions in Mystic, CT and Thomaston, ME and the 26th Annual International Marine Art Exhibition at the Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport.
In 1994 William was chosen as the resident artist for MBNA America. For 9 years he painted original paintings of their many properties around the world, which were reproduced for their quarterly stockholders report covers. Although well known for his marine paintings during the MBNA years, he was very fortunate to have a wide variety of commissioned projects, ranging from portraits to paintings of antique cars, yachts, homes, horse races just to name a few. All of these projects contributed to him becoming the very versatile artist he is today.
William currently resides in Williamsburg, Virginia with his wife where he continues to pursue his passion for painting.
Resume
Education
1987 University of Maryland, College Park, MD, BS in Accounting
1979 University of Maryland, College Park, MD, BFA
Museum Exhibitions
2005 12th Annual Maritime Art, Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, Oregon
2000 On Island: A Century of Continuity and Change, Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland, Maine
Invitational Exhibitions
2006 27th Annual Modern Marine Masters Exhibition, The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport, Mystic CT
2005 26th Annual International Marine Art Exhibition, The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport, Mystic CT
Group Exhibitions
2011 Selections from Gallery Artists, Bayview Gallery, Camden, Maine
2011 Winter Exhibit, Bayview Gallery, Camden, Maine
2008 Of Land and Sea: Painting the Bold Coast, Bayview Gallery, Camden, Maine
2006 Offshore and Along the Coast, Bayview Gallery, Brunswick, Maine
2005 A Gathering of Marine Masters, Art of the Sea Gallery, S. Thomaston, Maine
2005 New to Our Walls, Bayview Gallery, Brunswick, Maine
2004 A Gathering of Marine Masters, Art of the Sea Gallery, S. Thomaston, Maine
2004 Waterway, Old Favorites and New Faces, 
Art of the Sea Gallery, S. Thomaston, Maine
Awards
2005 Merit Award Recipient, 12th Annual Maritime Art, Coos Art Museum, Coos Bay, Oregon
Bibliography
2004 The Art of Monhegan Island, painting entitled On Monhegan Island
2000 American Art Review, October
Selected Online Reviews
2011 Empty Easel Online Art Magazine, review here
Public and Private Collections
Bank of America, Wilmington, DE
Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Cawley
Dr. and Mrs. Phillip Eichenholz
Mr. and Mrs. James Noyes
Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore Rossi
Organization Affiliations
Oil Painters of America
American Impressionist Society
Gallery Representation
Bayview Gallery, Camden and Brunswick ME
Gallery on Merchants Square, Williamsburg, VA
Chasen Galleries, Richmond, VA
Small Wonder Gallery, Camden, ME
Art and Soul Gallery, Bar Harbor, ME
Skip Jack Nautical Wares and Marine Gallery, Portsmouth, VA
"We commissioned Bill to do a nautical painting for us. The difficulty with this whole idea was, we had very specific things we wanted in our painting. We wanted a specific schooner, a lighthouse and the coast of Maine. Well, it was as if Bill was reading our minds. From the first sketch he did, to the final work, it was a dream come true. He captured every detail, every vision we had and then some. He brought to life a scene, that we never thought possible. It is a true masterpiece that we will cherish the rest of our lives and will pass down to our sons as a family heirloom. Bill’s work is great beyond any testimonial we can give. He truly is a master at his trade." ~Al and Vicki Polson
