William Conger

William Conger  The Prisoner  2014  oil on canvas  56" x 36"
williamconger.com

I remember seeing Congers work in Chicago in the mid seventies when I was a grad student at SAIC. He showed at Kenyon Gallery on Michigan Av. as well as Zaks Gallery on Ontario. He has been a prolific and consistent painter for the past 40 years.  Over the years I have seen his work develop and refine itself. The last show I saw was at Roy Boyd Gallery a few years ago. I was impressed with his ability to work small or large without missing a beat. His compositions and color combinations are elegant formal studies with a hint of Chicago idiosyncratic edge to them, kind of De Chirico meets Mondrian.  It is funny how one's appreciation comes with time and looking at a lot of painting.

I hope he has many more years ahead of him. He is one of Chicago's best painters.