Meet Herb Williams

We were lucky to catch up with Herb Williams recently and have shared our conversation below.

Herb, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

My Mother is one of the most optimistic people I’ve ever met. We lost my Dad in 1983 in a sawmill accident and she had to raise two kids on a public school teacher’s salary in Alabama. She showed us how to be brave and find happiness despite tragically losing your love, but she never let us see how hard it was for her. I choose to try and find my way out of the dark every day because she made a path for me. It’s incredibly hard sometimes, but as I now have two kids that I know are always listening, it’s so important to try and laugh and smile despite death and loss and grief that can seem overwhelming. Life is hard and painful and all too unforgiving. I do not need to make dark artwork to further reinforce the abyss that is napping next to me. I find inspiration and passion in art and a lifelong study in seeing the world outside of my own pain and clouded lens. I have been in hundreds of hours of therapy to come to terms with my own grief, I still succumb to it and get overwhelmed, and make artwork to try and understand it, or get through it. However, I am tired and bored with giving pain my energy when laughter and wonder at the mysteries around us is just magic.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am interested in exploring the eternal mysteries that art reveals. My latest endeavor is in creating a series of room-sized art installations each based upon a single color. Color is very personal. When it completely saturates your point-of-view it can be emotionally overwhelming. There is a paradigm shift that can occur by viewers engaging with color as an entire experience and the memories that are revealed by it can shape future interactions. Hundreds of thousands of crayons in single shades of color can have a gateway drug effect upon the viewer. I do not want the viewer to enter and simply take a selfie, but consider becoming part of the art itself and what connections the color has to them personally.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Take the biggest risk you can afford to lose. Make it personal. Do not be afraid of failure. You will only have the big idea once you’ve hit rock bottom. You may have to repeat this until you get it. Keep the sketchbook by the bed. I have never gotten anywhere playing it safe. In the art world there is very little interest in someone who is doing what they think others want to see.

Tell us what your ideal client would be like?

I dig how Louis-Vuitton has worked with artists and let them do their own thing on their product. Takashi Murakami and most recently Yayoi Kusama are great examples. I created and copyrighted several new patterns based upon traditional iconic themes during the pandemic and I think they would make fantastic interior liners for their luggage, purses, and clothing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://herbwilliamsart.com
• Instagram: herbwilliamsart
• Facebook: herbwilliamsart
• Other: I have an upcoming exhibit locally at the Haley Gallery in-between the Country Music Hall of Fame, Hatch Show Print, and the Omni Hotel this coming spring if anyone would like to see some of my artwork in person

Image Credits

professional photos by John Brown and Hannah Deits