Bill Farnsworth

A 1980 graduate of The Ringling School of Art and Design, Bill Farnsworth has spent over 40 years as an illustrator and fine artist. Born in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1958, he spent much of his life in New Milford, Connecticut, painting the region's rural landscapes while supporting his family through a successful illustration career.

Farnsworth is a Master Signature Member of both the Oil Painters of America (OPAM) and the National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Society (NOAPS), as well as a Signature Member of the American Society of Impressionists (AIS). He is also a Fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA) and an ARC Associate Living Master. His paintings have been exhibited in national shows, museums, and private collections across the United States.

A nationally recognized illustrator, Farnsworth made a seamless transition into fine art, earning numerous accolades. He received the Dickinson Signature Member Award in the AIS National Show in both 2018 and 2019, and won First Place in the AIS 2020 Online Exhibition. Fine Art Views describes his work as: "Sensitive and full of human emotion, the heartfelt work of Farnsworth takes us to inner depths."

His paintings are represented by Anderson Fine Art, Ballards Fine Art, Palm Avenue Fine Art, Gingerbread Square Gallery, Cawdry Gallery, Hindes Fine Art Gallery, The Good Art Company, and Helena Fox Fine Art. Bill lives in Venice Florida with his wife Debbie.

Artist Statement

“As an Illustrator for more than thirty years, I have told many stories with my paintings that have helped me in my cross over to Gallery work. Every day life has a story no matter how small and deserves telling if it has the right light. The light is what makes something very special or just forgettable. Cool overcast light can have a beautiful soft edge look, were as sunny warm light can create interesting patterns and color. In order to get this on canvas and convey it’s honestly to the viewer, an artist must have the skills of visual language. Having the technical skill will give them the ability to express. If you travel to another country and don’t know the language, no one will understand you. This goes for art as well. A painting with bad values, shapes, and edges will not convey to the viewer how the artist feels about the subject. My illustration work over the years has been the best training to put a picture together. Tight deadlines and being asked to paint everything under the sun was a great motivator to be resourceful.

So today the learning process continues, and with it comes little steps of improvement. For me this is what makes painting so rewarding and fun. Moments in life pass by us all the time and if we can capture the great ones honestly in paint and canvas then maybe it will make our lives better. “Living in Southwest Florida has been a great environment for my art. The beautiful surrounding and easy lifestyle has helped me create some of the best art of my life.” - Bill Farnsworth, OPAM