A little over a week ago, I was fortunate enough to cross paths with a local sign painter, named Bill.Painter Bill is without a doubt one of the most interesting people I have met, in southeastern Missouri.  Bill has worked many jobs in his life, but long before he started working any of those jobs Bill knew he loved to draw.

Since he was a very young boy people have appreciated his talent. Bill told me that his classmates in grade school would ask for his drawings, which he gladly shared. It has been over 70 years since Bill first gave away his first piece of art, and he is constantly producing more. During our 3 days of visiting, Bill showed me 5 pieces that he was currently working on. A portrait of a couple done with pencil & ink, two 3’x 10’ panoramas that he was doing of the downtown area of Poplar Bluff, along with a few rough concepts. Bill told me that he tried to get rich a few times throughout his life, but it just wasn’t in the cards for him.

Although Bill wasn’t financially rich, he had a wealth of knowledge and experience that I could only begin to fathom. The stories of his life made the hours pass like minutes. He has done everything from farming, factory work, to gold leafing. When Painter Bill doesn’t have a brush or a pencil in his hands, he can be found searching for arrow heads in his “Secret” field where he claims to have had many of finds. I am thrilled that I had the opportunity to document Bill and his craft.

Enjoy the Images ~ Tim