Meet William Passmore

We recently connected with William Passmore and have shared our conversation below.

William, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?

We, the creators, are the strange and the broken weirdos and I love it. I believe generosity is the space carved out from lived experience. As I have grown painfully through self reflection and love I firmly believe for the most part we all overcome the challenges of life.

As we grow and learn we have to appreciate those that have taken the time to extend a hand and help us out. I’ve had so many wonderful people help me along my journey to find my self and my art if it wasn’t for them I know I wouldn’t have made it as far as I have come and I am very grateful for their help and love.

Throw this growth I find helping people and being generous is a way to extend the love and patience I was extended. pay it forward.

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

I explore my native heritage( Okanagan and Arrow Lake Sinixt ) with my glass and artwork. I have spent ten years working with glass professionally learning the technical language of the medium. The things I make are inspired by growing up on the Colville Indian Reservation. My family is full of artists and I draw inspiration from their baskets and bead work. Particularly the colors and forms.

I spent many days in my youth fishing with my grandfather and thinking about the land and our relationship to it. when I was older it wasn’t uncommon to toss a pole in the back of my car and catch salmon near Chief Joseph Damn on the Columbia. Later I would learn my ancestors did the same thing further up river before someone decided damns where more important. I often combine these thoughts and feelings into objects like baskets for storing fish or berries. Drawing colors the water, the sky, and from the desert landscape my family has lived on for thousands of years.

Currently during the day I build and remodel houses around Seattle and at night I find my way to the studio where I dream up all the things I want to make and say.

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?

I think passion is probably the most important quality. If you find something you want to do or a topic that lights a fire under your soul that you have to do or you’ll die. That’s the dream, to find that and run towards it.

advice for the youth beginning. Maybe experience is important but as I get older and begin to roll my eyes at the next generation with their skibidi rizz I would urge them to ignore older people who tell them to grow up and ignore their dreams. A blessing of youth is to not have the lesson of failure to talk you out of chasing your dreams so go for it, find your passion and love freely.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

My uncle has been so helpful and encouraging to my career as an artist. I don’t really think it’s because he is my uncle but a wonderful human who has helped mentor so many people throughout his career as a Professor and artist. When ever he gets an opportunity it become about how he can help lift up an elevate others. And he is a huge reason for my confidence as an artist. I owe it to him. Also there’s a lot of people who have been helpful to me but my uncle is one that comes to mind.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @swawillabill
• Other: I have a studio at basecamp on 1st avenue in Seattle so if anyone wants to follow me they can do it in person there.