bill shain art

Artist Bill Shain lives in Pine Island, Minnesota. His preferred medium is the airbrush with liquid
acrylics on paper, canvas and hardboard. He also employs traditional brushes, pens, pastels,
rollers and other tools for various effects.

Combining his natural talent for art with various interests, skills and education, he’s created a unique
style of his own. Inspiration from famous artists like Dali, Picasso, and contemporary artist HR Giger
can be identified in his work. His pursuit of art study began while in high school and has continued
to this day, indulging in various genre’s of art such as Impressionism, Surrealism and Abstractism.
Examples of classic human form, expression and perspective are adopted from different periods of
Renaissance art. As new ideas continue to evolve into new forms, the organically interconnected
vascular shapes remain as a constant and recognizable feature.

Bill believes many modern art galleries exhibit minimalist abstract art which only confuses and
alienates people, causing them to question the true definition of art.

His axioms for art are:

Art should demonstrate new ideas, concepts, or perspectives.
Art should inspire people. Art should inspire conversation.
Art should come from the soul, and not be compromised.
Art should be thought-provoking and timeless.

“I strictly adhere to a principle of creating pure undiluted art which reflects my personality and
interests, rather than mass producing pretentious or soulless artwork designed for mass popularity
(also known as kitsch). I fully expect that not all people will appreciate my art, and may describe it as
dark, depressing or obscene. Some people may dislike my style in the same way music fans (of a
certain genre) may dislike another style of music. Art has no rules or boundaries, and is subjectively
defined according to each person’s unique perspective.

Some of my works attempt to illustrate the timeless struggles of humankind in our complex and
structured society. Conformity and compliance have become the expectations for the masses,
leaders herding people like cattle. Alarm clocks and time clocks have become our masters,
controlling and dictating us like string puppets. Each day we trudge along the endless treadmill of
despair and gloom, trying to survive in a corrupt and materialistic world. Thus, organic and
mechanical shapes battle for prominence in my paintings. Some of my art touches on religion,
human corruption, and the moral decay of mankind, and how we define faith by works. Masses of
people allow themselves to be controlled and manipulated by the media and entertainment.
Television has become the center stage for mass marketing by constantly pushing fashions, trends
and products we don’t need or can’t afford. TV entertainment has sunk to new lows, robbing us of
time and dumbing down the masses to weaken our resolve against innate materialistic temptation.
Frustration and discontent overshadows optimism. Though these are dark subjects, not all my
paintings follow this course. Some are created spontaneously and abstract, while some are
experiments of color, and others monochromatic. Finding fresh ideas is the biggest challenge, to
avoid falling into a creative rut.

Vincent Van Gogh spent his entire life painting, but sold only one piece during his lifetime. Suffering
through sickness, despair and poverty, he never compromised his style, or surrendered to
producing kitsch to survive. His work wasn’t appreciated during his time, but has since become
priceless in our generation. His example should be the role model for all artists.”

Please browse through my online gallery at your convenience. If you have any questions, or would
like to purchase art, please contact me via email. I update this site every month, so keep checking
back for new stuff. Enjoy viewing my site, and please pass it on to others. Click on any image for
an enlarged view. Thanks for looking! >>>>Bill Shain