EILEEN WEST GALLERY

_{CONTEMPORARY AND OUTSIDER ART}

WILLIAM FLEWELLEN HEARD

BIO - 1 - 2

Opening Night July 2nd 2010

Here's a YouTube video of William made by a PBS station as a trailer for a film about his life.

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ARTIST'S STATEMENT

"I graduated from Tupelo High School in (MS)1994. After high school, I was off to basic training in the Army National Guard as a Medical Specialist. In 1996, I enrolled at Mississippi State University , majoring in Business in Furniture Productions.

On March 14, 2000, I was reborn from a car accident that left me a quadriplegic. I had to teach myself to become a independent person. I had to become stronger physically and work with therapists to get where I am today. Along my journey I found a new love for paint. It started six years ago while I was in rehabilitation at the Shephard Center in Atlanta , GA. There I picked up my first paint brush. I held the brush in a cuff in the palm of my hand, but as I painted I couldn't keep the brush steady and I got frustrated, so after a short time I gave it up.

One late night three years ago, a movie about Jackson Pollock came on and I was glued to it. I was amazed by the way he painted. It looked like something that I could do and enjoy. I haven't had much experience in painting, but I told myself this is something I want to do and I will figure out a way to do it. I came up with a method of using spoons to throw, pour and lay paint on a canvas." WFH

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Patrons of the arts: Karen Holland, Katherine and Julia Holland.

4th of July weekend 2010

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GALLERY STATEMENT

EWG has hosted a solo show for William Heard for 5 years. The first time I saw his work was on his cell phone. He rolled into my gallery in his drip-painted chair and I asked the obvious question: Are you a Painter?. Even with bad resolution and an image the size of a business card, the work was intense. EWG offered him a show immediately.

William Heard and Billie Gaffrey at Via Colori Benefit for Seaside Charter School 2006. William returned his fee for painting a square to the school.

EWG hosted a group show in '09 for William and some of his students. It got wild.

The state of Mississippi gives him an annual grant to teach others how to make art.

And have some fun at the beach.

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This year the artist has been studying Picasso. The result is a suite of paintings shown only at EWG.

THE PICASSO SUITE

The Artist as Picasso 2010

Click the image to enter the show.

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FOX News did a spot on William that focused on his work with other disabled individuals. Here's a link to that story:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/05/07/mississippi-wheelchair-bound-artist-paints-success-tragedy/

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CONTACT GALLERY

EMAIL

850.502.1847 / 850.225.3024

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