ARTIST William
TITLE Untitled
LOCATION Killark Building – 3940 Dr Martin Luther King Dr
WARD 12
FOLLOW @williamburtonjrofficial
MURAL LOCATION
ABOUT WILLIAM
I paint for my beloved community, the wellspring of my inspiration and
dedication.
I paint to tell stories . . .
For the ones silenced and ignored
For the ones discounted and denied
Or dead.
My mission is to visually document the trials and triumphs of an oppressed
people.
Through my work as an artist, I reveal and preserve the multidimensional
beauty, truth, and dignity of my people.
Every brush stoked is applied with a purpose. My intent, is to paint memories,
hopes and the dreams we have as a people into expression and
consciousness.
My art is about the people; my art is for the people.
I grew up in, live in, and work in inner city communities that don’t get celebrated much. When my community is portrayed to those who live outside of it, they generally see negative images of poverty, crime, and violence. These same negative messages are consumed by the people living in my community, although they know they have families, friends, schools, churches, and other institutions that bring them joy, serve their needs, and give them a sense of belonging. I create murals in these spaces that my people, my neighbors, and my family members inhabit so even if they don’t visit an art museum or go to a gallery, they will have art in their lives about their lives. I paint to reconnect people in the community to the human scale of understanding and transcendence.
As a 1985 graduate of Central Visual and Performing Arts High, I am recipient of 4 art scholarships. After attending the Kansas City Art Institute, I returned to St. Louis and opened an airbrush shop. I have taught mural arts classes for many art organizations ie. the St.Louis Art Museum, St. Louis ArtWorks, Craft Alliance, and North City Arts Council to name a few. I was scenic charge for the Black Rep for 5 years. In 2015, I received the Hidden Figures Award from Dr. Bolden of STLPS 2016, I received the Actor’s Associates Merit Award from Actor’s Theater in Louisville,Ky 2019, I received Artist of the Year Award from Portfolio Gallery I have 4 pieces of artwork in the Missouri History Museum permanent collection.
I have designed and facilitated murals for Arts In Transit for 4 years, for Metro buses. In 2014, I opened the 14th Street Artist Community Gallery. It served not only to sell art, but to be an open studio servicing the various disciplines of art. Created to be a beacon of hope, motivation, and inspiration through creative expression.