William Bechtel, Art in Public Places

Saratoga Springs Public Library

49 Henry St, Saratoga Springs, NY

February 2nd-27th, 2026

Artist Statement 

I have been painting since 1987, always with a group meeting once a week at someone’s home or my home. Currently there are four in our group that meet every Monday afternoon at my house from September to June.  I have on several occasions taken adult education courses at Burnt Hills/Ballston Lake and Shenendehowa Schools in watercolor painting, courses in drawing and design at Schenectady County Community College and watercolor at the Arts Center.

Painting watercolor is the medium that I enjoy viewing most in all fine art.  The softness and merging of color in watercolor is most appealing.  However, I have also ventured into pastel painting, with the intent to “loosen-up” my rigid watercolor painting style.  I have taken lessons in pastel painting from artist Virginia NcNeice of Cambridge, NY, Karen Winslow at the Southern Vermont Arts Center in Manchester, VT, and Carolyn Justice at the Saratoga Art Center.  Also, in the last couple of years I have ventured into oil painting, which I find to be a lot of fun except for cleanup and waiting for the oil to dry. 

I most often paint indoors from my photographs of landscapes and interesting structures such as older homes, barns and lighthouses.  Painting is a hobby for me, allowing me to show others what I see in our world and how it looks to me.  I enjoy completing a nice piece of art and giving it to family or a friend for their enjoyment.