William Bailey

American artist William Bailey is best known for his paintings that hover between the abstract and the hyperrealistic. Bailey often chooses to paint assorted bowls, vases, cups, and other vessels in the style of a classic still-life. However, he does not paint from reality, but rather from memory, transforming a generic object into an object of beauty through close attention to texture, detail, color, and design. Bailey also creates paintings of woman, both nude and clothed, that appear to be portraits, but are in fact drawn entirely from the artist's imagination. Bailey portrays these figures weightlessly in rooms with open windows, letting in harsh light and shadows, reminiscent of the style of E.O. Hoppe.

Bailey is an emeritus professor of art at Yale University and a member of the American Academy and institute of Arts and Letters. His work has been exhibited extensively throughout the United States.