Bill Porteous holds a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from the Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles California. Arriving in Victoria in 1974 he began teaching and showing his work and in 1975 helped establish the Victoria College of Art. His teaching experience includes classes in Life Drawing, Life Sculpture, Drawing, Design and Art History. Besides his 17 years at the Victoria College of Art Bill also taught at the University of Victoria, Camosun College, University of Saskatchewan at Emma Lake, David Thompson University Centre in Nelson BC, and the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts. This past year Bill taught a workshop in Abstraction on Hornby Island and from April to July conducted drawing sessions during the Rodin exhibition at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
In 1994 he established his Studio Art Program in Victoria. 2007-08 will mark the 14th year of his Studio Art Classes. In 2004 his studio moved back to new facilities at the Selkirk Waterfront. The studio designed with Architect Frank D’Ambrosio will serve as a permanent location for Bills’ art classes as well as his studio and exhibition space in Victoria.
Bill currently serves on the Victoria Public Arts Advisory Committee as well as the Victoria International Airports Art at the Airport Public Art Commission. His works are represented in Los Angeles by the William Turner Gallery and in Victoria at the Art Rental Program of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria.
Bill's paintings are in numerous public, private and corporate collections including the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, British Columbia Provincial Art Collection, Imperial Oil of Canada, Jawl Holdings Ltd., D’Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism, Annabell Lapp Group Inc., Sierra Systems Victoria, and the LeMontrose Hotel, West Hollywood California.
Studio visits by appointment, call 250-893-0606.