In his work, William Shepherd selects diverse objects from his personal collection to arrange intricate still lifes of the American West, which juxtapose cultural artifacts, utilitarian tools, and kitsch trinkets. Approaching his work with the spirit of a Dutch master, his hyper-realistic depictions make space for each object and create a strong visual relationship between the forms, as well as with the contrasts of light, shadow, and color. Born in Casper, Wyoming, in 1943, William Shepherd spent his childhood drawing and exploring the outdoors. After receiving his BA and MFA from the University of Wyoming, Shepherd moved to New Mexico and began his career painting large-scale landscapes. While traveling in Mexico, he began collecting souvenirs and traditional crafts, which soon found their way into his realist compositions. His work is included in the permanent collections across the United States including, the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Hirschhorn Collection in Washington, D.C., and the University of Wyoming Art Museum in Laramie, Wyoming, among others.