We were lucky to catch up with William Graham recently and have shared our conversation below.

William, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

I feel abundantly grateful. In thinking of how to answer this question, parsing through my brain to remember moments I was shown kindness , I realize that these moments are not in short supply.
It’s hard to pinpoint “the kindest” so maybe here’s a couple:

I can historically speaking be very hard on my self. There’s a poem that you should read if you haven’t. It’s called Wild Geese by Mary Oliver. One of my favorites. Any way it starts with a simple line “you do not have to be good.” My partner and I love to hike and walk together. Whenever we are walking and see some geese passing over head, my partner usually yells out “YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE GOOD!” …it’s always a kind and needed reminder for me.

In the last year our cat who was having a lot of health issues due to age had to be put down. RIP Grandpa . One of the realest. ( female cat- in this house we love a gender bender name)
Anyway, it was a really difficult time, but I was holding up okay for the most part. When we went to put her down, after the process was complete the vet came into the room and told us that our bills had been paid. Turns out a group of our friends had called in and covered the bills. I lost it when I heard this. So many tears. It was so meaningful to know that our friends cared so much.

William, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi! My name is William Graham and I am an artist living in Western NC.

My visual art takes on a lot of different forms:

I’m always drawing, sometimes painting, often tattooing now, from time to time taking photos and print making is another interest of mine.

Like many artist/ creative types I’ve always enjoyed making things since I was young. I’ve always loved grabbing paper and pencil or really whatever is available to draw with or on and making pictures. It wasn’t till college though that I began to take it seriously as a potential career option/ something I want to be in the practice of for the rest of my life.

The practice of art making is sustaining to me and life’s too short to try to be perfect all the time (…a sure way to kill your joy) Art is primarily a tool for me to process and synthesize the world around me. It’s a practice that I try to show up to as many days as I can. What I process through my art changes daily but here are somethings I’m often mulling over:

I was brought up in a religious household and the effects of this have been two sided. I found a beauty there both spiritually and materially, a foundation for thinking deeply about the world and the meaning behind things. And I also found a foothold for a lot of self-deprecation, shame, and fear. I am no longer religious, but I think I’m often untangling the complex knots this formed inside me through my artwork.

I’m often exploring the theme of masculinity in my work as well.
Simply put, I grew up with a very limited perception of what this could be. Men were supposed to be strong, unemotional, gunslingers, problem solvers, warriors, sword wielders, fill in the blank. I have always felt out of place and out of touch with much of that narrative. A narrative too big and too small for anyone to really fit into comfortably. So I’m asking and exploring what it means to be this thing, to live in this body, to hold this identity. I don’t really have an answer but I do know that it is not just one thing.

In my art I don’t have many rules. I try to just show up and feel it out. It helps me and my biggest dream beyond that is that it will speak to someone else and maybe help them feel a little more free or comfy in there own skin.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I can’t really pinpoint a particular time that I was taught this… I don’t know maybe it’s just the way the world and culture we live in is organized, but recently I’ve become acutely aware of how solitary and lonely it can be to be an artist and how that is really dumb.

I think what I’m trying to say is that it’s easy as an artist to fall into a mindset of competition and comparison and this is something I’m constantly having to inwardly dismantle and unlearn. It’s ultimately it’s so unhealthy, unhelpful and isolating.

Recently I’m combatting this (please join me in this quest) by finding,forming and maintaining connections with others as much as possible. I don’t know. The world we live in demands that we make a living doing something… money matters (sadly) This is the world we have to survive in. But you don’t have to do it alone.

I have to remember this all the time. But it’s so nice when I do. Reach out. Call a buddy. Go get some coffee with them or something. Coffee with friends as an act of rebellion.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

This changes so often, but going off this last question. I think I’ll be satisfied if folks see my art and just feel a bit less alone, or more hopeful, or seen or whatever. I want what I make to be a means of connection. It is for me and I hope it is for others.

Contact Info:

• Website: Williamgraham.us
• Instagram: @good_will_hugging