Todd Williams on Painting, Perseverance, and the Legacy Nebraska Collection
In a recent podcast, artist Todd Williams recounted his transformation from creating illustrations for Hallmark to becoming an acclaimed oil painter. He highlighted the significance of mastering painting basics, including value and composition, to embrace a more instinctive artistic process. A key achievement for Williams is the Legacy Nebraska Collection, a project honoring Nebraska's 150th anniversary that enhanced his appreciation for local history and Native American culture through portraits. He encourages artists to pursue meaningful subjects and balance their creative passions with commercial endeavors. Williams plans to host workshops in several U.S. locations and participate in upcoming exhibitions, including a notable one in 2026-2027.
Key facts
- Todd Williams is a Nebraska-born impressionistic oil painter.
- He studied at the Kansas City Art Institute.
- He worked as an illustrator for Hallmark for a decade.
- He has been a full-time fine artist for about 25 years.
- His Legacy Nebraska Collection was a five-year project tied to Nebraska's sesquicentennial.
- He is currently working on a series of Native American portraits and Western work.
- He will teach workshops with Indiana Heritage Arts in Nashville, Indiana.
- He will teach at the Merrick County Museum in Central City, Nebraska.
- He will participate in exhibitions at the Museum of Western Art in Kerrville and Settlers West Gallery in Tucson.
- He is contributing to the traveling 'Painting the Arkansas Parks' exhibition for 2026–2027.
Entities
Artists
- Todd Williams
- Avantis Berberian
- CW Monday
- Dan Gearhart
- James Turner
- Edgar Payne
- Pablo Picasso
- Deborah Keirce
Institutions
- Kansas City Art Institute
- Hallmark
- Dayspring Cards
- FASO
- BoldBrush
- Legacy Gallery
- Meyer Gallery
- Museum of Western Art
- Settlers West Gallery
- Indiana Heritage Arts
- Merrick County Museum
- Heart of America Artists
- Nebraska PBS
- State Historical Society of Nebraska
- Nebraska 150 Commission
- Scottsdale Artist School
- Central Community College
Locations
- Nebraska
- Kansas City
- Scottsdale
- Santa Fe
- Siloam Springs, Arkansas
- Central City, Nebraska
- Nashville, Indiana
- Kerrville, Texas
- Tucson, Arizona
- Fredericksburg, Texas
- Vienna
- Prague
- Italy