"Maybe one of the reasons that landscapes are so popular is because living in the country is the most natural thing. Even city people like to go back to the country. It’s a kind of instinct. The country is still the beginning of people on earth. The earth smells fresh, and after a rain, it has a sweetness on its breath. Every day is a joy with a special kind of color, a … [Read more...]
The Bill Alexander Story – A Way Out
Bill was feeling more and more uncomfortable every year, but he felt trapped in the city. He had to earn a living so he had to make the best of it. Sometimes helping other people would take Bill's mind off his problems… Jonathan One day Jonathan turned up at Bill's doorstep. He was a long, lanky kid, about seventeen, who just wandered off the street. Bill learned Jonathan … [Read more...]
The Bill Alexander Story – Travels in America
"America is such a big, big country. It’s absolutely great, and I am not sure that all Americans realize that." -- Bill Alexander Bill loved being outdoors. He had an affinity with Mother Nature. He loved America, especially the vastness and grandeur of the country. There was nothing like this anymore in Europe. Europe was a tamed continent after some one thousand years of … [Read more...]
The Bill Alexander Story – More Adventures in America
"The land just roars on and on for miles and miles and then, in an instant, there are herds of antelope and swatches of green, places of water and trees." Columbia River Gorge Bill was one with Mother Nature, never more so than during his travels in America, especially in the West. He loved the vast scale of the land, particularly compared to what he had known as a child. He … [Read more...]
The Bill Alexander Story – Bill’s People
Bill and Margarete had been driving for hours. Their destination was Banff, Alberta. The Volkswagen's tank of gas was nearing empty again. They came to the entrance of Kootenay National Park. This was the last obstacle between Bill and Margarete and their home. Bill had $1.50 in his pocket, just enough for some coffee and sandwiches. The Ranger and the Cleaning Lady The sign … [Read more...]
The Bill Alexander Story – Building an Art Colony
"This land is so wonderful, and there is so much land on which to be free. Mother Nature has given us so much, and she gives us the feeling that this world is for us. 'Look what I have here for you,' she says again and again." -- Bill Alexander Bill's art was not only inspired by the Old Masters, like Rembrandt, there were also modern artists that he admired. He liked … [Read more...]