Opening the Window - A Look Into The Creative Mind of
World-Renowned Artist William Stoehr
By Kaylyn Aznavorian - Reality Serum Magazine
To be blunt, William Stoehr is a creative genius, and the world appears to agree. His inspiration stems from great artists such as Picasso, Willem de Kooning, Marlene Dumas, Rembrandt, and Leonardo to name a few, and it certainly shows. We asked which of his influences he'd love to meet if it were possible, and to no surprise, it was Picasso. "I would go back a hundred years and meet Picasso. I would like to paint alongside him. I am more interested in how he thought rather than how he painted. I am especially interested in how he perceived reality and how he thought we create visual images in our brain. I think he might have thought about such things."
William Stoehr, at Bill Lowe Gallery, says he paints
“to be part of a larger conversation”
GAIL O'NEILL ARTS ATLANTA SEPTEMBER 24, 2019
A pair of obsidian eyes stare out from a series of gigantic black strokes that suggest a face against a stark, white backdrop in William Stoehr’s Emma 2. A childlike graphic scrawled on the lower right corner of the 80-inch x 60-inch canvas reads, “Emma I promise to paint your portrait if you promise to go to rehab.”
Emma’s eyes shine, but it’s hard to tell if they’re brimming with tears or are radiant for reasons unknown. Her expression is ephemeral, and you fear that averting your gaze might cut off what little connection you have. But the temptation to look away is equally compelling — because bearing witness to what Stoehr calls “the purity of pain” is never easy.
Who is Emma? Is she in pain, or has she found relief? Is she asking a question or trying to convey an answer? Is the abstract rendering supposed to represent Emma? Or is it a depiction of the viewer?
Efrat Cybulkiewicz - July 1, 2020
The faces he paints reflect the faces of those affected – the victims, witnesses and survivors of intolerance, addictions and violence. William Stoehr’s paintings are beautifully disturbing. He takes our natural and predisposed attraction to faces and uses this to arouse profound and penetrating emotions within us. Emotions that at times are difficult to engage with but are incredibly important to ourselves as well as the world around us. Stoehr aims to lure far-reaching and always relevant questions and subjects to our surfaces, in order for us as a collective to face them head on and in this turmoil possibly find solutions. His art is astonishing and mesmerizing and remarkably essential.
Kelly Stone
Speaking with him from his Boulder, Colorado studio, one gets the feeling Stoehr is in his element judging from the excitement with which he speaks about his recent works. This interview finds him midway through his newest series. For many modern artists and explorers alike, this is the dreaded moment of “what do I do next?”, a critical junction between a momentous start full of ideas and fervent work and the gradual waning of drive and longing for the next frontier. Surrounded by canvases many of which are on the verge of the final brush-stroke, Stoehr finds opportunity for new discoveries in the paint already applied and inspiration for the forms not yet realized.
Stoehr’s aptitude in rendering the human figure is astounding. The ability with which he coaxes the form from within the canvas has earned Stoehr accolades from domestic and foreign galleries.
National Public Radio WABE Atlanta
William Stoehr is an artist whose work focuses on telling the stories of those who have suffered the most.
His exhibition at the Bill Lowe Gallery explores intolerance, discrimination, addiction and violence. The haunting portraits often span entire walls of galleries. His work usually consists of portraits with particular attention and detail paid toward the eyes of the subject.
“I paint to make a difference – to be part of a larger conversation – to engage, motivate and heal – to be part of the solution. It’s just who I want to be,” Stoehr said.
His exhibition runs through Oct. 18. Recently, Stoehr joined “City Lights” in-studio and talked about his path to becoming an artist.
2020
AR [T] MOIRE - feature interview
2019
NPR - City Lights WABE - interview
ARTS ATL - feature article
Westword - review
2018
Ello – The Creators Network – featured
Artospective – feature interview
Khaleejesque Magazine Kuwait - featured
1 HD Kuwait TV - featured
2017
Boulder Weekly – feature article
Boulder Daily Camera – feature article
Boulder Daily Camera – feature article
2016
Westword - review
2015
NPR Science Friday – interview
Reality Serum Magazine – feature article
Vision and Art - The Biology of Seeing
2014
Milano Art Expo – feature article
Saatchi Art - featured
SciArt in America - review
Denver ArtScape Gallery Directory – cover
Voice of R – International Youth Magazine – feature article
2013
Boulder Daily Camera/Times-Call, Colorado Daily – feature article
ColectiveArtsInk – podcast -interview
Westword – review
2012
Invisible Museum – feature article
2011
Westword – review
2010
Caribbean Art World Magazine – feature article
Boulder Daily Camera – feature article
2009
American Contemporary Art Magazine – feature article
2008
Destination US Virgin Islands Magazine – feature article
2007
Art Fusion Magazine – feature article
St John Tradewinds – feature article