Brown County Art Gallery 2010 Collector Showcase (E.K. Williams)

Edward K. Williams Featured Artist

E. K. Williams
Collector Showcase

The Brown County Art Gallery Foundation, located in Nashville Indiana, launched its largest fundraiser of the year with the 2010 Collector’s Showcase. The foundation has done an excellent job in the past, providing art patrons with beautiful examples of artwork from past Indiana artists. This year’s event was no exception, featuring oils and watercolors from artist Edward K. Williams. For those interested in being the first to view the artwork, the gallery doors opened at 5:00 pm on Saturday, October 9th, with a reservation only VIP reception for 45.00 per person. Admission included complimentary beverages throughout the evening. Patrons not interested in the VIP admission could also enter the event at 6:00 pm for a reservation only general admission fee of  35.00 with beverages available for purchase. Catering was provided by Oliver’s Barbeque and music by Anson Hohne Jazz Trio.

On Sunday, October 10th, the doors opened to the general public from noon to 5:00 for a 7.00 admission fee.  All attendees of the Saturday and Sunday event received a full-color catalog with pictures of E. K Williams work on display at the show. The foundation depends on collectors to loan works of art for the show. This requires hard work and planning by the foundation and its volunteers to make the event a reality. For those who are interested in past Indiana artists, should take the time to attend the event.

This year's collector showcase was artist Edward K Williams, otherwise known as the gentleman painter.

Williams was born in Southwestern, Pennsylvania, in 1870 and lived there with his family until moving to Chicago at age 17. While in Chicago, Edward worked tinting photographs and worked for the American Safe company painting images on the doors of safes. Williams had heard about the beauty of Brown County and made several trips, staying at the Pittman Inn.  After marrying Effie Teegarden, the couple decided to move there permanently in 1926 to become part of the growing art colony. They bought a house in Nashville and built a studio next door. Both Edward and Effie were active in the community, he was an officer for the Brown County Art Gallery Association, and she was active in the church and community. Williams painted in and around Brown County as well as taking painting trips to Wisconsin while seeing his daughter and grandchildren. Williams was not only an accomplished oil painter, but a respected watercolor artist, and considered that more difficult than oil. During the Depression, Williams was part of the Public Works of Art Project (PWAP), which began in 1933 as part of Roosevelt’s New Deal. In 1943, his wife Effie passed away, and Williams was never the same. He sold his house and moved into his studio but did very little painting. Edward K. Williams died on New Year's day in 1950 at the age of 79.