From Graphic Designer to Fine Artist -- MICK WILLIAMS

Raw talent finds a way to express itself. Just ask Mick Williams, artist extraordinaire (and all-around great guy!). After a career of commerical design and illustration, Mick picked up his paint brushes and never looked back. Now, as a member of the prestigious Baltimore Watercolor Society, Mick creates from his home studio in New Market, Maryland with his Great Danes M and Chance by his side. For his most recent "Music and Architecture" series, he painted incredible watercolor paintings that evoke far more than just an image -- they make you feel the pulse and soul of music.

Mick says, "I'm drawn to the abstract energy within a scene, and I try to capture the essence of blues and jazz on canvas." Many of his paintings depict street scenes in New Orleans' French Quarter, Miami's South Beach and Manhattan's Times Square. "Music is soul-stirring. I want to make people feel that same type of gut-level reaction when they study one of my paintings. It's all about details, and nuance, and passion. Art is one of the most powerful forms of expression."

Mick points out that his major influences are Picasso, Van Gogh, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Maxfield Parrish. His advice to young artists? "Keep plenty of great art within reach. Draw from the master works of your role models when refining your individual technique."