The gallery is featuring  works by William West as our Artist Spotlight from June 29 through August 29. Known primarily for his work in watercolor, Bill also enjoys acrylic paints, which are what will be on display here. A native of Durham, NC, Bill left for 20 years, graduated from Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, entered the ad business in New York City, then Atlanta, and then San Antonio . He won many national creative awards. After selling his own advertising agency business, he immersed himself in painting  and enjoys  painting a number of different subjects. He says, “Through my journey as an artist I’m continually looking, studying ,and learning and believe that’s part of being an artist. You must always keep growing and painting and painting and painting. What gets me into a subject is the light and darks, the atmosphere ,and the story you want to tell . It should not just be a pretty picture. My biggest challenge is to find or create a painting that does all three, to bring a viewer into the painting and connect with something about the story idea and see themselves there. If I accomplish a smile all the better.”