Interview
Marshall Williams
Marshall Williams is a retired aerospace executive and accomplished abstract expressionist painter, whose creative journey has been marked by a profound exploration of both the technical and the artistic realms. Born in 1963 in California, Williams developed an early interest in the intersection of human behavior and engineering. He pursued this passion academically, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a focus on Human Engineering from the University of Washington in 1986. His commitment to understanding the intricacies of human interaction with technology led him to further his studies in Engineering at the same institution from 1990 to 1992.
For over three decades, Williams enjoyed a successful career in the aerospace industry, where his leadership and visionary thinking played a pivotal role in numerous innovative projects. His professional journey equipped him with a unique perspective that he later translated into his artwork. After retiring from the aerospace sector, Williams embraced his lifelong passion for painting, dedicating himself fully to the world of abstract expressionism. With 15 years of professional artistic experience, Williams has developed a distinctive style characterized by bold colors and dynamic forms that invite viewers to engage on an emotional level. His works often reflect the complexities of human experience and the nuances of the modern world, drawing inspiration from his background in psychology and engineering. Williams currently resides in Chesterfield, Missouri, where he has established a studio that serves as a creative sanctuary. Here, he continues to explore the boundaries of abstract art, experimenting with various techniques and mediums to express his artistic vision. His work has been displayed in numerous exhibitions, earning recognition for its originality and depth. As a professional artist, Marshall Williams conveys a powerful narrative through his paintings, encouraging viewers to reflect on their perceptions and experiences. His journey from aerospace executive to celebrated artist exemplifies a profound commitment to creativity and the belief that art can serve as a bridge between the technical and the emotional, ultimately enriching the human experience.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I was born in Placerville, California USA in 1963 to very young parents. I'm the eldest of three children, with one brother and one sister. My father was a construction worker and my mother worked retail. We were generally poor but well cared for with food, clothing and shelter. Our parents did their best in raising us and showed great care and love for us. We moved a lot as I grew up, on average every two years, as my father followed the work. I found comfort and shelter in the creation of art. It was my solstice against all the moving and having to rebuild my life anew every time we set up our home in a new location. I really got interested in painting when we moved to Arlee Montana, an extremely small town at the southern tip of the Flathead Indian Reservation and home of the Salish Kootenai tribes. I was a new student starting my freshman year at Arlee high school where I met an amazing art teacher Mr. Tom Lind that had a great influence on me. He encouraged me to experiment in mediums and styles until I found my style and voice. I remember my abstract creations getting ‘mixed’ reviews at the open house art shows. It didn't matter to me, I had found my true self. I continued to draw and would paint when I could get the materials. In college I sold charcoal drawings to help pay for tuition and books, as I was always lacking sufficient funding to barely scrap by, although I worked three jobs while going to school.
As I started my adult life after graduation and getting married and starting a family, I found it increasingly difficult to put much effort into pursuing my love of painting. In 2003, after many years of neglecting my art and a near death experience from a pulmonary embolism, from which, I had many months to reflect on where I was and where I wished I had continued my pursuit of myself through my art. I began to paint again. I was deep into a career as a Human Factors engineer for a large aerospace company. My area of Human Factors specialized in the design of user interface to military aerospace products. It was highly creative and rewarding field of engineering that also met my need to create. It was satisfying while being demanding and extremely important. I continued to struggle with work life balance, generally working more than living. As such my painting suffered.
My career however flourished. I was doing great and continually being promoted. I was sent to St Louis, Missouri on special assignment, that eventually let to my move to the area and additional promotions within the company. As I continued to struggle with work and all the other aspects of my life, one of the best things that ever happened to me. My wife and daughter knew I wanted to paint, but struggled with time. So for Christmas one year, they outfitted and set up a studio space for me in the basement of our home. Here I could leave my works in progress out and available for when I had time. It was amazing. The fact was I had always wanted to be an artist, but I also wanted to get married and have a family. I thought being a starving artist wouldn't get me there so I chose to create through engineering. But once I had my own studio, I had an epiphany, I could have both a career in engineering and be an artist. This is when I truly began painting for real. The creativity flourished, I painted all the time and my career continued to excel at the same time. From these artworks I did my first showings in decades, at small galleries in St Louis. People seemed stunned when they viewed my paintings and the reviews were amazing. Then people started to ask if they could purchase my art. Now I was stunned as I hadn't really considered that possibility but then I sold my first painting, then the next, then the next. I was able to finally find balance between my engineering career and the rest of my life, including my painting.”
What inspires you?
“I find inspiration in many places, including art, music, architecture, and nature. I'm intellectually curious and am always looking for the deeper meaning and everything around me. I find inspiration in the human condition, especially in the underdog of any conflict. I try to put myself into other's circumstances and attempt to see the experience through their eyes. I try to feel what they must be experiencing. My paintings try to capture that instant of awareness or understanding or feeling. Like when you a hear a song and it instantaneously invokes a feeling or memory - that's what my paintings are trying to inspire.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“That's an interesting question. I don't concisely pursue themes, rather I paint whatever is going on in the back of my subconscious, and is based on whatever I've been experiencing or contemplating. There are messages inside my works that are part of me. From somewhere deep inside. However, I would rather each individual find their own message from within when viewing my works.”
How would you describe your work?
“I would describe my works as a free flowing exploration of light, color, and emotions at the instance of intellect. Trying to balance the calm with turbulence, the noise with the silence, and the love with the hate. I'm trying to find the space in-between all conflicts at the moment of realization.”
Which artists influence you most?
“My works are really a mixture of techniques where I attempt captures the essence of the human experience, drawing inspiration from the influential styles and techniques of Jackson Pollock (unconstrained freeform and expression), Lee Krasner (staining of the canvases, shadowy coloring), Franz Kline (bold dynamic strokes), and Mark Rothko (interplay of colors).”
“I find inspiration in many places, including art, music, architecture, and nature. I'm intellectually curious and am always looking for the deeper meaning and everything around me.”
What is your creative process like?
“My creative process includes voracious appetite for reading multiple different genres of literature, and listening to different styles of music trying to get deeper insight into the human condition. When I enter my studio, I don't really know what's actually going to happen, if anything. I start by turning on music, whatever feels right for the moment given whatever's been going on in my subconscious. I grab a blank canvas as wait for the inspiration to flow. It's all very freestyle and spontaneous. One of the greatest experiences is when I get into the flow and lose track of time and space, fully immersed in the creative process. I do a lot of experimentation and mixing directly on the canvas. It can be an amazing feeling when in the flow.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“An artist role in society can vary over time. From providing entertainment and escape to highlighting social conditions and inequities. I myself find myself flowing between these from piece to piece depending on what's going on in the world or how I feel about life at the moment I feel the need to create. I see art evolving to be whatever the people decide they need to express themselves in an ever evolving chaotic world.”
