Welcome to my artist website and store
Explore Williams
categories of original artwork
If you asked me where my ideas for artwork come from, that is a good question! I like nostalgia and humour - the skeletons at the club is very much in this vein. Then there’s inspiration that fires in my brain at random moments, and my job is to try and make it into some kind of image. It can be from a dream such as the girl playing piano barefoot in a forest, a memory or a moment in time, but the connection with all the ideas is personal experience. Anyway I hope you enjoy browsing through my collection, almost everything has a story behind it, but sometimes that visual story clicks with someone else and that’s the exciting part that keeps me going.
High quality Giclée art prints - mounted and signed by the artist
Giclée is the highest quality art print format, used by professional artists and galleries. Each image is printed onto exhibition standard heavy-weight etching 100% cotton rag paper (315gsm), using an Ultrachrome HDX archival ink system. All artwork has a beautiful matte finish. Every print comes with a bespoke fitting picture mount. All prints are signed by the artist. If you need a picture frame, I also stock locally-made modern wood frames to fit all my A4 and 10”x10” square prints - you can add a frame to your order by choosing black, white or natural finish from the frames section.
There are also occasionally some limited edition prints for sale - these are often re-workings of existing artworks - produced using the risograph halftone ink effect and special spot colours to add new life. It means each print is always completely one of a kind and unique. They are produced in very small limited numbered batches, so won’t last for long!
Customer reviews
Gavin H, Bristol, UK ★★★★★
“I really love William’s style and bought one of his prints to go on my newly decorated landing. It arrived promptly and well-packaged and it looks great. I’d definitely order again.”
Charlotte D, Oxfordshire, UK ★★★★★
“Bought a William Fawkes print as a Christmas present. The print was beautiful quality and well-framed. Arrived really quickly and was packaged well to survive the Christmas post. The design is fabulous and the recipient loved it! Will definitely buy more artwork from here in the future - it’s wonderful to give friends and family something so unique.”
KL, Gateshead, UK ★★★★★
“Bought the ‘Gateshead Grey’ print and I absolutely love it! Excellent quality print and fantastic communication from William. Can’t wait to buy more, would recommend to anybody!”
Chris, Cramlington, UK ★★★★★
“Very happy with the artwork purchased and would definitely buy again. Highly recommend.”
Swansea Barman, Bicester, UK ★★★★★
“Great quality print and frame at a very fair price… well chuffed, thanks.”
A short biography
Inspired by mid-twentieth century monochrome photography and found objects, William seeks to create bold visual stories which hold a strong sense of ambiguous narrative and intrigue, ranging in theme from the socially historic to the surreal.
William produces original paintings and drawings, as well as scaled-down high quality framed art prints of his work - all of which can be purchased directly from this website.
As well as continuously producing original works, it is also possible to request a private commission.
Previously working as a graphic designer under his birth name (James), his work has unconsciously been seen by millions across many diverse industries, but you’d never know.
At one time, James was designing record sleeve artwork for clients including Blur, Sigur Rós, Trojan Records, EMI, and Universal music. James adopted the name William Fawkes (not Faulks) from his family tree after seeing an ancestor with this name, and deciding that being an artist called James Oliver might sound similar to a well-known TV chef. Also the Guy Fawkes name link was too good not to take up.
As well as creative projects, William also established Gateshead Open Studios in October 2018 - the very first open studios event in the area including his studio at Brighton Road, Gateshead. Following a similar model to Ouseburn’s Open Studios, this event differed slightly in that it also included historical & cultural venues as well as artists. It ran again in October 2019, before the interruption of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the event had to be cancelled, and also William decided to re-locate to County Durham, where he now works from his new studio.
If you’d like to learn more about William’s journey to becoming an artist, you can read through the diary he wrote during the Covid pandemic in 2020.