The ART and LIFE
of William (Bill) J. Girard Jr.
June 8, 1940 - Royal Oak, Michigan
February 5, 2011 - Royal Oak, Michigan
"Paint," Bill said, "is just colored mud." Clay, lead, silver, bronze, wax: all mud. No one loved playing with mud more than Bill. His mud was witty, mischievous and irreverent. Sometimes sexy. Always fun.
Some couldn't hear it. Some wouldn't. But I did. Hell, it sang to me. Anyway, enough folks heard it, or heard about it, to keep Bill busy teaching mud to talk nearly all of his life.
This site isn't just a monument to a virtually unknown and wholly marvelous Motor City artist who died in obscurity.
It's a call to action. Love the work? Share the site!
There's a lot more to the Bill Girard story than most are aware of. Some of that story can be found here.
Stay in touch. And look for updates! Don't forget to check out the blog, either.
with access to controlled lighting, studio conditions and sufficient time to do their best work.
Most these images were shared by "Friends of Bill."
Hopefully, the power of the pieces transcends the flaws of their presentation.
To put this in perspective, little about Bill’s life was ideal – aside from his work, his work ethic and kind heart. Why should this be any different?
All I can offer is the chance to be among the first to learn of new additions to the website and new blog posts. This list will not be shared with anyone else.
Copyright © 2018 GSMICHAELS - All Rights Reserved. Photos courtesy of Ken Weikal, Farmington Hills, MI; Edmund Cole, FL; Glenn S. Michaels, Phoenix, AZ; and Michael Curtis, FL.