Former Baltimore Sun Illustrator Cannot Stop Creating Art -- Not Even in Retirement

CATONSVILLE, MD -- Former Baltimore Sun illustrator Bill Wilson cannot stop creating art -- not even in his retirement.

He paints watercolors every day from his Charlestown retirement community apartment and contributes a comic strip to the community’s in-house monthly newsletter. In addition to his artwork, Bill is currently writing a how-to book on watercolors and his life as an artist.

Bill uses the second bedroom in his apartment as his studio where he often has five or six paintings going at the same time. “My apartment faces west so I get a lot of great sunsets,” he says.

Bill moved to Charlestown 13 months ago from Knollview Court in Catonsville where he lived for 35 years with his late wife Bonnie and where he had an in-house art gallery and studio.

“I’ve painted Our Lady of the Angels Chapel and different spots around the Charlestown campus,” says Bill. “I’ve also painted events like the kite fly that was held here in the spring.”

Bill began drawing at a young age, duplicating many of his favorite comics.

“When I was young, I wanted to be Walt Disney,” says Bill. “I would copy Popeye and Prince Valiant from the newspaper. My mother used to introduce me to people and say, ‘This is Billy, my artist son.’

“She would display my art in the dining room of our row home and whenever someone stopped by the house she would drag them in there and insist they look at my drawings.”

After graduating from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1947, Bill spent six years in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and returned to study art at the Maryland Institute. In1957 he took a job as an artist at the Baltimore News American and worked as a cartoonist for The Evening Sun in the 1980’s.

“I’ve joined an art group here at Charlestown and I sell my work during the art shows,” says Bill. “I also make Giclee copies of my work which are high quality prints. I’ve found that people are more apt to buy a $50 print, than a $2,000 painting.

“I love be an artist,” says Bill. “Being able to do what you love is a great way to make a living.”

Bill’s sons followed in their father’s footsteps with successful careers in art. Will, the eldest, an award-winning painter based out of San Francisco and Jeff is an active member of the Baltimore Watercolor Society and art director for a local advertising agency.

“I’m so proud of them both,” says Bill “They are terrific artists. My wife and I encouraged both of them to pursue a career in art. To have them follow in my footsteps is the greatest joy of my life.”

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Caption for photo: Illustrator Bill Wilson works in his Charlestown apartment studio (photo by Mel Tansill).