Will Valle's studio is one of many artist's studios in the Mission District of San Francisco. I met Will for the first time about a year ago, when he was in the middle of moving to a larger studio unit in the same building. At that time, many unfinished canvases were lying on the floor. Recently, I went back to visit Will at his new studio. I recognized some of the same paintings, which were now finished, and mounted on the walls. Will’s artwork created a colorful backdrop for our visit. His studio is small and cozy, with dimmed lights, a bean bag chair and a shaggy rug. It looks more like a modest living room than a typical artist's studio.
Glancing at Will's mini library of books, I notice his interest in both classical and modern masters, like Da Vinci, Monet, Rothko and Basquiat. It’s easy to spot these influences in his paintings. Overall, Will's art radiates fresh energy and joy. His color choices are unusual and witty. By layering pastel backgrounds with contrasting bright accents, Will’s paintings feel elegant, harmonic, and chaotic, all at the same time.
As I walk around Will’s studio space, I feel myself sucking in the wild color combinations present in his paintings. There is an ease of motion in his brushstrokes, that is both calming and exciting. Looking at his artwork one by one, I am impressed by how much freedom Will seems to give himself on the canvas. His unique style comes across in the way he blends colors together and paints in bold gestural moves. His paintings often include abstract flowers, fireworks, wild lines and random dots. Will describes himself as an automotive painter, in other words he explores, experiments and creates his art in real time on the canvas.
I notice that Will, who is wearing an all denim outfit and while Converse sneakers, is in stark contrast to the rainbow palette of his paints. I’m immersed in his emotional world as we sit among his paintings and talk about his background and career goals. Will’s story is an unfamiliar one. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Economics, and working in several corporate jobs, Will made the choice to reverse course and pursue a career as an artist full time. Knowing that Will has no formal art education makes his work all the more alluring. When I consider that he’s only 29 year old, I find myself wondering if he’s some sort of artist prodigy. Taking into account Will’s handsome looks and magnetic personality, it’s easy to imagine him on the cover of an art magazine one day.
Undoubtedly, Will’s artist career is starting to blossom, in a big way. He recently sold one of his larger pieces to a well-known San Francisco-based art collector and several of his paintings were recently selected to be exhibited at Cole Valley Tavern, a new restaurant that will be opening in April 2022.
We urge anyone who is a fan of abstract art not to miss on buying a painting (or two!) from Will. He’s available for studio visits so please book one through the website asap.
