William Dinkins

William Dinkins, Artist

Bill Dinkins graduated from the University of Akron in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He was a graphic designer and Art Director for several major advertising agencies before retiring. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native spends much of his time painting watercolors and photographing the great outdoors and its ever-changing landscape. Much of his work involves the dynamics we find so compelling in landscapes: cascading waterfalls, meandering rivers, majestic mountains and panoramic valleys. Several years ago, he started a series of paintings of vintage fishing lures - plugs dating back to the 20’s, as well as well-known trout flies. One famous trout fly he painted, the Royal Wolff, was designed by a famous fly fisherman and will be featured in Colorado textbooks. The last several years he has devoted much of his free time to outdoor photography, especially closeups of leaves. His leaf photos show a remarkable ability to find interesting colors, patterns and reflections in a variety of leaf shapes against complimentary backgrounds. “Shades of Gray” shows a dark gray maple leaf partially encased in ice which gives it an amazing range of grays in various shapes and sizes. He is quick to point out, “it’s not necessarily the subject that makes a beautiful photo or painting ... it’s all the elements of the composition, especially the lighting, that enhances the shapes, the proportions, the colors. Sometimes, even the most mundane of subjects can become captivating.”

He exhibits in galleries throughout Ohio, including Artclectic Gallery and Eisele Galleriey in Cincinnati, Coppertop  Gallery in Loudonville, and Imagery Gallery in Chagrin Falls. He also works on a commission basis to create heirloom paintings of family members and pets, and treasured subjects, such as historic or childhood homes.