William Saol

Born in Dallas, TX., William Saol received his BFA in studio art from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. He began drawing in his early teens. For the first 25 years of his life he was a completely self-taught artist. Before university he had already submerged himself into oil painting and sculpture. At University he was able to refine those earlier acquired skills.

Saol’s art is saturated with psychology, philosophy and an exploration of what it means to be human. Based on life experiences, his art speaks from a personal internal vocabulary that he has developed over his 51 years on this earth.

In his formative years, exposed first to DaDa and its rebellious manifesto’s. Being a rebellious soul, Saol identified with their manifesto and began his art education.

In hindsight, sometimes he felt perhaps this was a ‘mistake.’ But this is ‘origin’ story shined through and brought him past the formality academia, allowing him to freely express his own voice about consciousness of our existence without having to adhere to any conventional rules.

While his educational foundation started in oil painting, the need for exploration has led his works into mixed media painting, stone, steel and wood sculpture and into craft as well.

Saol has also spent quite a few years dedicated to furniture making both on his own and under the mentorship of semi and master furniture makers.