William Lathrop

medium: painting

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Pristine Water 2007 Painting	River Rocks 2005 Painting	Indian Creek 2007 Painting
Spectral Day 2006 Painting	Fall in the Upper Peninsula 2006 Painting	Richland Creek 2007 Painting
Birch in Fall 2005 Painting	Inland Sea 2006 Painting	Mountain Stream 2005 Painting
Gibraltar 2003 Painting

Contact information
P.O. Box 247
Evansville, WI 53536
Phone Number: 608-513-7299
Email Address: bill@wlathrop.com
Web site: www.wlathrop.com

Artist statement
My exploration of painting is a sensuous expression of interacting with what I see--a celebration of sight. Too often we see the world through utilitarian eyes, eyes trained to negotiate our travel or perform our tasks. For me, vision is every bit as sensuous as touch and taste.

For subject matter, I am primarily inspired by the natural world. I find myself drawn to settings that offer a feeling of intimacy within a grander landscape and strive to find an emotional connection with the viewer through evoking memories of wilder places. Water, big boulders strewn about, interesting trees--this is what I love to paint. And I hope to bring attention to the landscape east of the Mississippi as many great painters have done with the west.

Color is the dominant component of my painting and two philosophies guide my use of color. First, I want to be true to the color of the subject. Artistically, I am trying to recreate the experience of seeing and I find it is impossible to do so without being faithful to the colors of nature. When color relationships are accurate, harmony is a natural result. Second, using the metaphor that color is the flavor of painting, I use color like a chef reduces a stock to make a sauce. The chef simmers the stock, reducing excess liquid to concentrate the flavors.

Biography
Lathrop began painting at the University of Notre Dame in 1977, where a class in art exposed him to a world previously overlooked. From that introduction, painting and art have played a dominant role throughout his life. Though he continued to paint consistently, Bill began a series of occupations that eventually led to his return to college at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he earned a degree in political science. He also studied art history, focusing on abstract expressionism.

He has studied with California artist Joseph Mendez; Florida artist Thomas Buttner; and Wisconsin artists Mary Diman and Kelli Hoppmann. His work is part of private and public collections throughout the United States.

Bill works from his studio in Evansville, Wis., and on location, painting from life, throughout the country. He is a member of the Oil Painters of America.