Bill paints and draws with an intensity of interest that comes from his many longstanding relationships with older Alaskans. To some degree he has experienced a lifestyle reminiscent of his aged mentors, working with boat builders and fishermen as a boy and later entering the logging industry. Along the way he earned a degree in art from Seattle Pacific University and spent three years in Brussels, Belgium working as an illustrator.

"I would consider myself to have been successful if in my work, folks identify with a deeper and lasting appreciation for this beautiful country God has made for us and to have captured the dignity, ingenuity, resourcefulness and integrity of the pioneer Alaskans I have known and loved."