William, born in 1935, is an accomplished self-taught still-life and landscape painter, who has a developmental disability. William, whose work is included in numerous private collections, including those of Nancy Reagan, Mario Cuomo, George Pataki, Prince Charles, and the Emperor of Japan, has exhibited his paintings in galleries and museums as well. William is also the recipient of numerous awards, including the Kennedy Center Award for Outstanding Artistic Achievement in 1986.
He lived at The Willowbrook State Hospital in Staten Island for 34 years. As a boy he was given paints by a doctor there to express himself when he felt angry and frustrated. William has been a prolific artist since that time. He left Willowbrook in 1974 and moved into a group home in Westchester where he continued to further his artistic technique. William currently lives on his own in Stony Point, New York, in a house with an art studio.
William says: "God gave me the gift of painting when I was young. I like making pictures of nature and landscapes. Autumn is my favorite season to paint. Oil paint is better than acrylic because it doesn't dry too fast. My goal is to sell my paintings and to own my own home."