Artist Statement
One of the joys of being an artist is having the freedom to follow my passion, which has always been oil painting. I look at the artistry of painting as an evolutionary process developed through hard work, trial and error, and continual education. For 30 years now, I’ve been developing my skills and painting professionally.
I consider myself a Realist who uses touches of Impressionism to go beyond representation. Achieving a painterly work is a high priority. I try to approach each new work with an open mind, allowing myself moments of spontaneity in the painting process and appreciating it when the paint surprises me.
I am currently enthusiastically working on a series of Charleston street scenes. The city has a wonderful blend of historic architecture, charming homes, and a vibrant downtown. I look forward to many years of building up a significant body of work, and trying to capture the essence of Charleston, the city we call home.
I will also continue to pursue my passion for Avian art. The Charleston area is surrounded by beautiful marshlands, home to a wide variety of magnificent birdlife. Brown Pelicans, Egrets, and Herons continue to be my muse, becoming my primary subjects.
Creativity of composition and the effect of light on subjects, all interest me as much as the use of color. My work is colorful and detailed, but I love it when Impressionist touches can simplify with a bold brush stroke!
Biography
William R. Beebe was born in Bethesda, Maryland in 1956. He is an accomplished contemporary realist who has been painting professionally for 30 years. His art career began with his move to Maine in 1990, where he became enamored by life along the coast. For 12 years, William's many subjects included historic wooden schooners, lighthouses, lobster boats, and the many small coastal villages.
Now, William calls Charleston, SC, his home and is as enthusiastically capturing everything Charleston. His love of architecture and color are satiated by the charming, historic buildings all around town.
His move to the Lowcountry has also inspired William to delve even deeper into his passion for Avian Art, producing portraiture of Great Blue Herons, Egrets, and Brown Pelicans.
William's representational work ranges from highly detailed and crisp to 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. The first maritime artist William took note of was John Stobart. More recently, the Impressionist works of Sisley, Monet, Whistler, Frank Benson, Sargent, and Chase have inspired him and influenced his techniques.
Charleston Style and Design Magazine and Mount Pleasant Magazine have recently highlighted his paintings in featured articles about William and his work. His Avian painting Snowy's Island Sanctuary was the cover of Charleston's ART MAG, along with several featured articles in the magazine about his Avian Art.
Many 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 is a member of Oil Painters of America and the Charleston Artist Guild.
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.
William was the resident artist for MBNA America for 9 years, where he painted many of their properties around the world. His works were reproduced and featured on the company’s quarterly stockholders report covers. Although well-known for his maritime 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 versatile artist he is today.
William resides in Mt. Pleasant, SC with his wife Jennifer, loving life in the Lowcountry.
Resume
Education
1987 University of Maryland, College Park, MD. BS in Accounting
1979 University of Maryland, College Park, MD. BFA
One Man Exhibition
2023 Brown Pelicans and their Feathered Friends, Mary Martin Galleries, Charleston South Carolina
2021 The Painterly Realism of WILLIAM R. BEEBE: Capturing the Magic of the Lowcountry, Mary Martin Galleries, Charleston South Carolina
Museum Exhibitions
2014 William R. Beebe Bird Life Paintings, Virginia Living Museum, Newport News, Virginia
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
2014 William R. Beebe Solo Exhibition, The Ocean Reef Art League, Key Largo, FL
2013 Celebrating the Charles W. Morgan Exhibition, The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport, Mystic CT
2012 Positive Art That Lifts The Spirit, International Online Exhibition, Manhattan Arts International
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
2017 Charleston Artists Guild Signature Exhibition, Charleston, South Carolina
2015 Two Man Show, Greenleaf Gallery, Duck, North Carolina
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
2012 Award of Excellence, Positive Art That Lifts The Spirit, International Online Exhibition
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/Press
2024 CHARLESTON STYLE AND DESIGN MAGAZINE Painting What He Loves
2022 CHARLESTON STYLE AND DESIGN MAGAZINE The Year of the Pelican ~ William R. Beebe captures the essence of Lowcountry birds
2021 CHARLESTON STYLE AND DESIGN MAGAZINE The Art of Inspiration
2021 MOUNT PLEASANT MAGAZINE William R. Beebe Captures Lowcountry Magic
2020 CHARLESTON STYLE & DESIGN Creating a Painterly Painting
2019 ART MAG Artist Inspiration by William R. Beebe
2019 ART MAG Bird’s Eye Views
2014 Visual Language Magazine, featuring the Maritime portfolio of William R. Beebe
2011 Empty Easel Online Art Magazine, featuring William R. Beebe, Painting in the Details
2011 Artsy Shark Online Art Magazine, presents the exquisite portfolio of William R. Beebe
Organization Affiliations
Charleston Artist Guild, Exhibiting Member
Oil Painters of America