'Watercolors and Woodcuts' Art Exhibit by William McNamara

“Buffalo River Near Terrapin Branch” by William McNamara (2007, 29.5x41, watercolor)

“Christopher” by William McNamara (2005, 22x15, watercolor)

“Fall Leaves on Shallow Water” by William McNamara (2005, 22x30, watercolor)

“Rocks on the River” by William McNamara (1998, 22x30, watercolor)

“Fowler's Field” by William McNamara (1992, 22x30, watercolor)

Photo Submitted

“Buffalo River Near Terrapin Branch” by William McNamara (2007, 29.5x41, watercolor)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – William McNamara’s exhibit of woodcuts and watercolor paintings inspired by the Buffalo River landscape is on display in the Helen Robson Walton Reading Room and the lobby area of Mullins Library through the end of October. The exhibit is free and open to the public, and may be viewed all hours the library is open.

The exhibit coincides with the event “40-50-100: Milestones in Arkansas’s Environmental History” from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 19, in the Helen Robson Walton Reading Room in Mullins Library. The celebration commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Buffalo River’s designation as a national river, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Ozark Society environmental conservation group, and the 100th anniversary of the birth of Neil Compton, founder of the Ozark Society. It is also free and open to the public. 

McNamara uses what he calls “abstract realism” to create atmosphere and emphasize subtle patterns of nature. This contradictory term refers to the painting technique of reducing scenes or images to a composition of abstract forms, which, when viewed from afar give the appearance of photo realism. According to the artist, “I create paintings that are meant to be seen as things unto themselves and not just the illustrations of scenes or concepts, pieces to draw the eye into a wordless contemplation much in the way one would gaze at a mandala.”

McNamara creates the woodcuts by using small knives to carve away areas on the surface of a block of wood. The uncut areas produce the final image. McNamara uses a roller to coat the uncut areas with ink and places a sheet of paper over the block, which transfers the inked image onto the paper. When creating a colored woodcut, McNamara carves and prints a separate block for each color.

William McNamara was born in Louisiana in 1946. He received a Bachelor of Arts from Centenary College of Louisiana, where he studied under Willard Cooper, and a Master of Arts in Painting from New Mexico Highlands University. He returned to Centenary College in 1971 to teach drawing and composition for five years before moving to Newton County, Ark., where he still lives and paints. Many of the works in this exhibit feature scenes from the Buffalo National River and surrounding areas in Newton County. His works have been featured in exhibitions at the Butler Institute of American Art and the National Watercolor Society. They can be found in private and public collections throughout the country, including the Arkansas Arts Center and the Springfield Art Museum.