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William “Bill” St. George, who passed away in March of 2015, was a late-life artist of great talent who made paintings of his native Walpole, among other subjects. One of those home-town paintings is titled “Main Street,” and is a lively and colorful view of Walpole’s central thoroughfare as seen from the tip of the North Common. Now, thanks to a grant from the Friends of the Walpole Public Library, the Trustees of the library have been able to acquire “Main Street” for permanent display in the library building.
'Main Street,' a painting by Walpole native Bill St. George, has been acquired by the Walpole Public Library for permanent display.
Bill St. George had a solid career working in advertising as an art director and graphic designer, but in 1991 he gave it up to devote his full time and effort to art. He owned a gallery on Newbury Street and maintained a half-hour weekly TV show for nearly 20 years. As a teacher, he conducted frequent art classes and workshops, and was a regular demonstrator at local art associations. He also was one of the early exhibitors at the current new library building. His paintings were selected for the front covers of several magazines, especially those involving horses – one of his favorite subjects.
St. George wrote of his art: “All along I felt that art chose me, and not the other way around. It may sound like a cliché, but it really has given me a way to express my inner feelings and emotions. More than anything I try to give the brightest and purest notes to my color, as if the entire personality of the painting could be found in a single brush stroke. Painting is a process of discovery. Paint, as a medium, lends itself to many surfaces. In one painting I will use brushes, palette knives, paper towels, any method to get my feelings onto canvas. When I create, paint is the master, and I am its vehicle to the world’s eye.”
