About William Hallett

I am a painter who has lived in coastal Maine for the past twenty-five years, and have been during that time increasingly drawn to the unusual beauties of the northeastern coast of the U.S. Having spent my childhood and adolescence on Mexico City, I was deeply, if unconsciously, drawn to a particular sensitivity to color and unusual color combinations typical of Mexico.

My recent paintings, in a contemporary style using acrylic paint, focus on Maine coastal seascapes and landscapes, particularly waterfronts, piers, boats, and fishing villages. My aim is to intensify the visual experience of atmospheres peculiar to coastal Maine, where sky, land, and water meet.

The paintings are an attempt to create, on perhaps traditional themes, an element of surprise, the experience of unexpected color, perhaps unexpected perspective and atmosphere. Most of my paintings sit patiently in my studio for a long time while I keep looking at them, to see if the sense of surprise persists over time. If it seems to, I know the painting is finished.