William Hemmerling ...

The Influence of southern folk culture and many diverse life experiences are incorporated into the eclectic painting of William Hemmerling. Bill was born in Chicago and moved to Ponchatoula, Louisiana in 1977. Upon retirement in March 2002, he finally found time to paint from the heart. He is an untrained artist, yet his work reflects sophistication and creativity in both subject matter and the use of unusual materials. Bill is constantly searching for and using found or recycled materials for his one-of-a-kind creations.

There is an element of fantasy in much of his work and he often paints well into the early morning hours. He explores various themes of New Orleans Jazz musicians, Down By the River, nudes and famous artists and authors. But, he is best known for his series of Southern African American folk culture depicting life in the old south entitled "Sweet Olive". The Sweet Olive images are copyrighted and trademarked.

His love of people, his enthusiasm and his humble, "offbeat" nature bring a definite excitement and energy to his folk art.

In the words of Bill Hemmerling, "One day when I let God out of the box I built, he danced with me".

- BillHemmerling.com