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| "If a picture is worth a thousand words, these evocative watercolor and pen drawings of the Old City and its people are priceless." | |
| Hadassah Magazine, New York |
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| "He, Papas, is a highly distinguished and original artist, whose work, I firmly believe, is not only of significance of its time, but will make an important contribution to the journalistic history of that time." | |
| Alan Coren, Editor, Punch Magazine, London |
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| "Papas's pictures capture an eternal quality..." | |
| Demetra Kessenides, Writer, Greek American Magazine |
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| "Bill Papas (is) a man of many talents, a superb draftsman and one of the world's most distinguished editorial cartoonists." | |
| Harold Haydon, Art Critic, Chicago Sun-Times |
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| Early Life: | |
| 1927 | Born Ermelo, South Africa |
| 1947 - 49 | St. Martins & Beckenham Art Schools, London |
| 1952 - 58 | Artist Reporter, Cape Times, Drum Magazine, Johannesburg Star |
| London Years: | |
| 1959 - 70 | Political Cartoonist, Guardian, London |
| 1960 - 65 | Political Cartoonist, Sunday Times |
| 1964/65 | Runner up Kate Greenaway Medal |
| 1966 - 71 | Political Cartoonist, Punch Magazine |
| Greece and the Mediterranean: | |
| 1971 - 1983 | "Retired" to Greece and sailed the Mediterranean; illustrated many books and was featured in many exhibitions |
| 1978/79 | Invited by Jerusalem Foundation to stay at Mishkenot Shaananim |
| New frontiers: | |
| 1983 - 84 | Lived in Geneva, Switzerland |
| 1984 - 2000 | Lived in Portland, Oregon, travelled the USA, published "Papas' America", "Papas' Greece", painted horse and cat series, many exhibitions. |
| 2000 | Died in Plane Crash, British Columbia |
Artist Statement |
I regard myself as an artist/reporter, a recorder of people, places and events. In 1947 I found myself sketching on the street corners of Cape Town and of war-ravished Europe. In 2000 I find myself doing the same thing in different parts of the world. It is a compulsion to record a passing moment. A sketchbook commands respect, a degree of awe and instant communication in a way a camera cannot. It is a passport to people. In Portland sullen street kids talk to me. In Egypt I had to employ someone to restrain the crowds that gathered to watch. In Guadaloupe a belligerent man threatened to smash my wife's camera but ran to fetch his child once I produced the sketchbook. In Italy construction workers abandoned their jobsite to pose for me. In Jerusalem, however, it took a week for me to be accepted by the wary inhabitants. Finally a child explained to another, "He's not Israeli/Palestinian/Greek, he's an artist, silly!" I am influenced by Daumier and Toulouse Lautrec. The drawing and the actual line are important for me. I obtain immense satisfation in realising a situation or movement with a simple pen stroke. I hope to be remembered as a chronicler, that viewers will look at a painting or sketch or cartoon of mine and will say, "Yes, that is right. That is how it was/is!" |
Selected Exhibitions |
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Selected Commissions and Assignments | |
| India 1967 | Indian Tea Board (paintings and books) |
| Jerusalem 1978-79 | Jerusalem Foundation (book) |
| Egypt, 1980 | Collins Publishers (book) |
| Caribbean Islands, 1982 | Sun Line Cruises (brochures) |
| Palm Springs, 1986 | Palm Springs Life (articles) |
| Miami, 1987 | Florida Magazine (articles) |
| Chigasaki, Japan, 1996 | Shonan Sai Festival (posters and original art) |
| Portland 1997/1998 | Artist for Nike Grand Master Games (poster, publicity) |
| Portland 1999 | Emanual Hospital (painting) |
| Portland 1999 | Greenbriar Inc (paintings) |
| Palm Springs, Palm Beach 1999 | Polo America (posters, cards, publicity) |
Selected Collections |
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| Indian Tea Center, London | Sun Line, Athens & New York |
| Stavros Niarchos, Athens | Vorres Museum, Athens |
| Fiat, Inc., Turin | Georges Livanos, London & Athens |
| James Callaghan, London (ex. British PM) | Old City Museum, Jerusalem |
| Prince zu Furstenberg, Munich | Caterpillar Inc., Peoria |
| Charter Investment, Portland | Evergreen Inc., Seattle |
| Bank of Vancouver, Vancouver | Ferguson, Wellman et al, Portland |
| Intel, Hillsboro | Ralph Lauren, Palm Desert |
| National Portrait Gallery, London | Gainey Vineyard, Santa Ynez, CA |
| Keg Restaurants, Vancouver, BC | Folsom Auto, Sacramento |
| Red Lion Hotels, Sacramento, CA | Hilton Hotel, Portland |