A Lifetime of Passion

by Pamela DuLong Williams

My artistic interest was recognized and nurtured at the early age of ten by my father who began painting himself in his twenties. Painting and drawing became my major interest and has remained so throughout my life. My father’s studio became my happy place. 

He introduced me to Matisse, Van Gough and the French impressionists of the time. That planted the seed of my passion. As my commitment to my art became stronger my parents arranged private study with various artists in the Boston area as well as the classes for high school students at the MFA.

While in high school I had a wonderful art teacher who supported me by opening the art department at least two periods every day, introducing me to various mediums from metal smithing to printmaking as well as the disciplines of drawing and painting. That was a springboard in a sense for the vast world of art ahead of me. I am self-taught in my approach applying the tools of color and form in space. Certainly, educating myself to anatomy of figure was a necessity. I soon identified with the impressionist school of painting rather than the “Academy School of Painting” in which “technique” is the foundation of painting. 

In 1963 I was introduced to commercial art school and graphic design by friends of my sister who were attending Vesper George School of Art in Boston.  I fell in love with commercial art and immediately had a starting place for my life’s work. Most adults were telling me to apply to BU so I could become an art teacher. Not interested. I knew I wanted to pursue a career as an artist. I didn’t think teaching would allow me to do that.

I found out later teaching greatly broadened my artist growth. 

Since I, like most artists, have been primarily self-taught, my teaching mission for over 45 years has been to cultivate the artist within the student. Not to teach them a technique but to give them the tools of picture making and to open doors for them. To help the students find their path to their art spirit. I can teach certainly anyone to “paint” (if they have the desire) but I can’t “make them an artist”. I can help them to discover an artist within if it exists.

My journey since has been 60 years of endless self education and study to achieve the artist I have become with miles of challenges still to go. It has been said artists live longer than other professions on a whole because they are never satisfied with where they are creatively, and I think that is true. As an artist I feel the best painting will be the one I haven’t done yet. It can be an unsettling itch. It does not allow for rest and as I grow older, I feel I must work harder than ever. I need another lifetime to become the painter I want to be.