Bill Sweeney Art Bio Fine art has always been in my life. Growing up in Springfield, Pennsylvania, ourhouse was filled with paintings by my cousin, who was a professional artist, and by mymother, my grandfather, and various relatives who were all hobbyists. As a result, mysiblings and I always believed that “doing art” was somewhat of a family tradition andsomething to be admired. My childhood doodles became sketches when I was ateenager and eventually, in my twenties, became oil paintings and watercolors. In 1995 my wife Lisa and I started our family in Garnet Valley, where we live today.The area serves as a setting for much of my work. In the early 2000’s I rediscovered aset of pastels that were a fifth grade Christmas present from my parents. After retiringfrom a 40-year career teaching physics at Strath Haven High School, I became hookedon pastels and became a pastel artist. I have had the good fortune to study with artistsKarl Kuerner since 1992 and Jane Bartrum Miluski and Joe Sweeney (no relation) since2013.Bill Sweeney's paintings have been exhibited in various shows across the country including thePastel Society of America’s “Enduring Brilliance Exhibition”; the InternationalAssociation of Pastel Societies Juried Exhibitions; the “Art of the State” Exhibition inHarrisburg, PA; in the US State Department Arts in Embassies program and in many ofthe Philadelphia Watercolor Society’s “International Exhibition of Works on Paper.” Hispaintings have been published in PleinAir Magazine and Philadelphia Stories Magazine.Bill is a signature member of the Maryland Pastel Society, the Philadelphia WatercolorSociety, a Master Pastelist of the International Association of Pastel Societies, and anassociate member of the Pastel Society of America. In November 2021, he was awardedthe Crest Medal by the Philadelphia Watercolor Society.