Meet William Lynch | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with William Lynch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi William, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Having stumbled into art so much later in life, my financial risk is minimized. I already have an established career and a level of financial security that most artists starting out don’t have. The risk for me is much more the risk of showing myself and the vulnerability of exposing myself through art. I’m not as worried about not being able to pay the rent as I am about rejection or failure. I’m talking about failure on a personal level. The risk is showing my heart and perhaps having it rejected and feeling like a failure or like what I’m putting out into the world wasn’t good enough to be appreciated.
  

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When it comes to my art, I’m most proud of the positive messages and vibrant colors I add to the world. I don’t really know where I am today professionally, but I do feel like the universe seems to respond in kind to the effort I put into my work, even though sometimes it feels like I have no idea what I’m doing. I wouldn’t say creating art is easy by any means, It comes with its own set of challenges, and the majority of those challenges I’ve been able to overcome just by showing up and leaning into the discomfort that comes with vulnerability. For example, after my first show that I didn’t sell anything, I felt like a total fraud, but instead of wallowing in that, I stopped at Jerry’s Art Supply and bought new materials to continue to create. It was a purposeful decision to show the universe I was serious. Through all this, I’m learning to have patience with myself and that sometimes I have to trust the process. I’m also trying to learn how to have fun with it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a total homebody, but when I do step out of my house there are a few local spots that I enjoy. I would have to start my day with an early morning visit to the beach. Nothing beats South Beach sunrises. After that, I would grab an acai bowl from Pura Vida and eat in the car en route to Wynwood Walls. For dinner, I’d drive south to Tani, a Thai restaurant in Pinecrest. The food never disappoints, and the service is always friendly and welcoming. The next day, I’d have breakfast at Raw South in Kendall before making my way to the Rubell Museum in Downtown for a look at some contemporary art. Finally, I’d end the night catching a beautiful sunset at Snook’s in Key Largo.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The list of people that deserve credit for my ability to explore this passion is long. It starts with an artist friend and family member, Samuel Navedo, who let me borrow his tent and all his supplies in order to show my work at my first art festival. He sat with me and answered endless phone calls, responding to all my questions and always made me feel like my art was worth displaying and showing to others. It would be silly of me not to mention my immediate family, my wife and son, who have shared in the burden of early morning set ups and late evening breakdowns and spent countless weekends driving all around South Florida to show their support for my work and for me. Finally, my extended family and close friends also deserve a shout out for always making me feel unwavering support.

Website: http://www.wflart.com

Instagram: @williamfrancislynch

Facebook: williamfrancislynch