Collection: William Wilkerson Santa Ana Airport Collection June 2023

From June 15 through July 13, 2023, the John Wayne Airport Arts Program will feature a collection of intimate portraiture by artist and teacher William Wilkerson. Working in a variety of mediums, Wilkerson beautifully captures the inherent light and positivity within each of his subjects.

His current series of paintings and drawings aim to address the influence of our inner thoughts and attitudes on the milieu of social climate and modern-day culture. Heavily revolving around the concept of light, as an idea both revelatory and guiding, his work seeks to chase away darkness and facilitate the growth of wisdom and awareness.

After over thirty years of teaching in Orange County public schools, Wilkerson has long seen the very best in his students and sought to inspire them to realize their full potential. His artistic practice mirrors his life’s work by imploring his viewers to utilize compassion and empathy in everyday life.

An accomplished author, Wilkerson has also illustrated and published several books, including the children’s book, The Light in My Room.

“The illustrations in this book are a series of color pencil drawings centered around the embodiment and cultivation of positive character attributes, intended to invoke the elements of greatness existing within each of us. The Light in My Room attempts to amplify the positive effects of the LIGHT we possess both internally and externally. The goal was to enhance the enlightenment of the viewer, while countering the virulent influences of darkness and negativity,” says Wilkerson. The spiritual undercurrent of this work was cultivated during his 30 year tenure as artist in residence at Second Baptist Church of Santa Ana.