Casey Williams, Untitled, c.2012, acrylic on archival inkjet print. Exhibited at Art Palace Gallery. 
Casey Williams, Untitled (detail), c.2012, acrylic on archival inkjet print. Exhibited at Art Palace Gallery. 

As a long time friend of Casey Williams we were delighted when Art Palace put on an exquisite show of never before seen works by Williams. In conjunction with Fotofest Biennial 2016, a discussion panel revolving around Williams' final works was organized by his wife, Jo Ann, studio assistant, Nick Merriweather, and the owner of Texas Gallery, Frederika Hunter. The dialogue between the three was a culmination of reminisicing over Williams' work style, the meaning behind his final series, and the lasting mark he has made on the Houston art scene. 

Casey Wiliams, Studies of 4 x 4 foot photographs 

For Williams, expirimentaiton across all mediums and ideas is what led to his final series being known as the "painted-ons", where Williams would brush paint across his photographic images. Williams did not personally speak much about his art. However through Williams' life, it is indisputable of his love for the Houston ship channel and the influence it made on his work. Williams was particularly interested in the way a ship would float toward the surface as goods were unloaded, decreasing the ship's weight. The lower portion of the ship would then be repainted by the crewmen. The action of repainting is symbolic of Williams' paint strokes atop his own images. Many of the strokes are colors of blues and silvers, further symbolizing the shimmer and reflection of water and possibly an ode to his earlier silkscreen works, as well as becoming a meditative process for Williams. 

Book compiled of photography by Casey Wiliams 

Casey Williams noticed details that many would naturally overlook. He forced the viewer to go somewhere they would normally bypass, giving a new perspective to the world. Williams was a master at opening up our eyes to beauty. 

Casey Williams, Untitled, c. 2012, acrylic on archival inkjet print on satin. Exhibited at Art Palace Gallery. 
Casey Williams, Untitled & Untitled, c. 2012, acrylic on archivsl inkject print. Exhibited at Art Palace Gallery.