Bill Howard

Painter, Builder, Intarsiaist, Carver

William Howard began his journey into art in high school and began with oil painting and then expanded into acrylics and other paint mediums. Bill sold his first paining at 16, and has been painting here in the Valley for over 30 years. Bill even taught with Channel 8.

Bill’s work brings nature right into frame with the exquisite detail, rich color and depth presented in each painting. Most subjects include landscapes, forest scenes and wildlife.

BUILDING SHIPS

Built to exact specifications, model ships are scale representations of real ships. Model ships were first used by shipbuilders to not only ensure design, but to sell ships as well.

Patience, finite attention to detail and high standards of quality are shown in each of the ships completed. Hours, days, and weeks turn into years in these projects, with the longest lasting almost six years to complete!

Many of Bill’s ships are in the hands of private collectors and in museums throughout the United States. In addition to building the ships, Bill often constructs the display cases as well as he is a furniture maker as well.

INTARSIA

Made from exotic woods, these pieces are cut and shaped to fit into each other, creating a wood puzzle. The wood is selected for its color and texture to help create the piece. Little to no stains are used in these fanciful creations.

Intarsia is an art or technique of decorating a surface with inlaid patterns especially of wood mosaic. Intarsia is thought to have been developed during the thirteenth century Renaissance period in Siena Italy. The process was derived from the middle eastern inlays of ivory on wood.

Because of the efforts of a small group of artists in the 1970s and 80s, the art of Intarsia has been revived today, but is still relatively hard to find.

To make a wall hanging as fun and realistic as possible, many types of wood are used.

Each Intarsia piece takes some twenty hours or more to complete. Custom work is always welcome to create a unique piece or series for your home and family.

CARVING

Hummingbirds and butterflies are hand carved as well as the wood flowers and leaves featured in each piece. Hummingbirds are painted with iridescent paint, so that their color changes just as real birds do.

Each piece takes approximately 30 to 50 hours to carve and paint. As Bill states, “My pieces have depth and character, exploring the colors and grains of the wood to create the images you see in all my work. I rely on the natural beauty of the woods to create a particular piece”.

Both hummingbirds and butterflies can be painted breed and species specific.