If pictures are worth a thousand words, then self-taught artist Kevin A. Williams has created enough elements of love, intimacy and passion on canvas to write a book. The sensual art that he creates is among the most contemporary African-American art of our time. Williams combines acrylic and air brush techniques to speak to different generations of people. He enjoys expressing love, community and the family through his paint and brushes. Williams, thirty-something, and best known by his reversed initials, WAK, stays busy creating mixed-medium pieces inspired by his coming of age during the ‘70s and ‘80s (a time when music inspired major cultural shifts in fashion and art). While still in high school, he was very much aware of the cultural shift.Williams’ artistic talent was recognized early. At age 15, he realized that painting was what he would spend the rest of his life doing. He was truly fascinated by painting, and stayed long hours in his studio to polish his talent. He then launched his career as a commercial artist. His talent earned him numerous honors including three National Scholastic Awards, and a coveted ACT-SO Gold Metal. His debut print, "Taking Her Back," the first in a five-part series, pays homage to the beauty of black love with muted, natural tones and an emotionally charged scene. This piece conveys the respect and honor that the black man should hold for black women. "We are powerful people and there are certain messages I try to portray," says Williams. "I try to capture the elements of love." He reminisced about the ‘70s: The romanticism, music, culture and black folks making a statement. "I paint my music," he says, referring to Marvin Gaye, Earth Wind & Fire, and Maxwell. His paintings reflect the process of a relationship (a man meeting a woman, to magnificent love, to having a family).
