Welcome to my artist website and store

Explore Williams
categories of original artwork

If you asked where my ideas for artwork come from, I’d have to say it’s a bit of a mystery. I’m drawn to nostalgia and humor— my artwork ‘Skeletons at the Club’ is a perfect example of this theme in my work.

Inspiration often strikes at random moments, and my job is to capture these fleeting ideas and translate them into an image. Whether it’s a dream—like my painting: the girl playing piano barefoot in a forest—or a memory, every idea stems from personal experience.

I hope you enjoy browsing my collection. Almost every piece has a story behind it, and sometimes, that story resonates with someone else—that’s the exciting part that keeps me creating.

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!

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A short biography

Inspired by mid-twentieth century monochrome photography and found objects, William creates bold visual stories. These works evoke a strong sense of ambiguous narrative and intrigue, with themes ranging from the socially historic to the surreal.

William produces original paintings, drawings, and high-quality framed art prints, all of which can be purchased directly from this website. In addition to regularly producing original works, William also accepts private commissions.

Before adopting the name William, James worked as a graphic designer, with his designs seen by millions across diverse industries—though his identity remained largely unknown. James designed record sleeves for clients such as Blur, Sigur Rós, Trojan Records, EMI, and Universal Music. He adopted the name William Fawkes from his family tree after discovering an ancestor with that name. He also felt that the name ‘James Oliver’ sounded too similar to that of a well-known TV chef.

In addition to his creative work, William founded Gateshead Open Studios in October 2018. It was the first open studios event in the area, showcasing his studio at Brighton Road, Gateshead. Modeled after Ouseburn’s Open Studios, the event also featured historical and cultural venues alongside artists. It ran again in October 2019, before being interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the event was cancelled, and William relocated 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.