Artist Statement

My work depicts primarily nautical themes using the pastel medium. Soft pastel permits me to layer paint quickly, and results in unrivaled permanence and color vibrancy. After two decades of working with pastels, I intend to continue maximizing the beauty of this versatile medium, exploring the endless possibilities New England and it's coast have to offer.

Selected Juried Shows and Awards

Weston (MA) Art Association Spring Show ~ First Place
Beacon Hill (MA) Art Walk ~ First Place
Danvers (MA) Art Association Arts ~ Honorable Mention
North Suburban (Wakefield, MA) Art Show ~ Excellence in Pastels
Chelmsford ( MA) Art Show ~ First and Second Place Awards
Newport (RI) Outdoor Art Festival ~ Honorable Mention
Andover (MA) Art Guild, Art in The Park ~ Best in Show, 2 First Places
Powers Gallery (Acton, MA) New England Pastel Show
Concord (MA) Art Association Exhibition ~ First Place
Arnold Gallery (Newport RI) New Visions in Pastel
Ogunquit (ME) Art Festival ~ Best in Show
Chatham (MA) Art in the Park ~ Second Place
Old Saybrook (CT) Arts Festival ~ First Place
Glastonbury (CT) Art Guild Fine Art Show ~ First Place

Education

Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, MA
DeCordova Museum School, Lincoln, MA
Wolf Kahn Landscape Painting School, Sebasco, ME
Bronxville High School, Bronxville, NY

Selected Reviews

Newport This Week
"Bill Pettee paints an almost graspable atmosphere . . . varies the texture of his works by overpainting . . . That technique clarifies and energizes his objects and gives them a personality that flatter painting won't allow."

Powers Fine Art Gallery (Acton, MA)
"One of New England's foremost pastel artists."