Bill Canright is a member of the Pastel Society of America, Pastel Society of New Mexico, Southeastern Pastel Society, Pastel Society of the West Coast and the IAPS Master Circle. Bill began using pastels in 2004 and during the following five years his work has been in 21 national shows including four IAPS shows and the 2009 PSA “For Pastels Only” show.

Bill is married to Maggie Price, a well-known pastel artist, teacher and writer. He, of course, took full advantage of her teaching skills as he gradually phased out their advertising and publishing design business and concentrated on painting.

In Bill’s words: “Maggie’s support and encouragement made it possible to concentrate on the thing I had always wanted to do since I was fourteen. At that age, I tried, on my own, to paint in oils—not accomplishing much but some drawing skills. By the time I was old enough to consider art school, the focus was on non-representational art, which did not interest me. I turned to a career in ad design and product illustration, and then to art direction and creative work at various ad agencies in Phoenix and Denver. After many years in the advertising and publishing world, I am now a full-time painter. There’s nothing like creating a successful painting. Success can be making a seemingly dull thing beautiful or capturing the feel of a particular place.”

Contact Bill at billcanright@cableone.net

Paintings © Bill Canright; top to bottom: Golden Creek; Morning Mist; Retired Workhorse; San Felipe Snow Day