• Reform
• Liberal
• Jewish
• Synagogue
• Piero della Francesca

Details

Category: Artwork

This test is excerpted from Pat Utermohlen's 2006 essay on Bill's work.

In the nineteen eighties William was commissioned to paint a large mural for the St John's Wood Reform Synagogue, the subject chosen was the Seasons. It remains today as one of the most joyful and colourful of his works. In order to respect the tradition of the mural surface he changed his method of paint application. He had always admired Piero della Francesca, and when planning the mural he looked again at the master. He was painting a history subject, yet he wanted it to be current. The clothes were a problem, his decision was innovative, he dressed them like young healthy hippies, bathed in golden light. The paint  quality was dry and mixed with a coarse substance thus, giving an overall wall texture reminiscence of fresco, fully in keeping with spirit of the work.