Charles T. Williams (1918-1966) was, in the words of Don Vogel, the late Dallas gallery owner and respected art authority, "the first truly creative sculptor of substance of modern Texas"
The scope of Williams' work has been addressed by Diana Block, Director of The University of North Texas Art Gallery, who organized a retrospective show of his work in 1996. In her introduction to the show's catalogue, Block observed: "Certain artists contribute to their time and place in definitive ways (and) Charles Truett Williams was one such person."
Charles Williams was a Texas native, born in Weatherford, Texas and educated in civil engineering at Hardin Simons at Abilene, Texas later receiving an MFA degree from TCU. During WWII, he participated in the Normandy Invasion and the Liberation of Paris. His experience in Paris ignited him as an artist, and when he returned from his tour of duty he began a twenty-year period of creative production that was truly remarkable in its scope and artistic substance. His work explored many sculptural mediums, including wood, stone, welded metal, and metal casting, ranging from diminutive to architectural in scale.
In addition to the sculpture Williams produced, there is another important aspect to his career that has often been celebrated. Working in Texas during the era, Williams provided at his studio an important social focal point for the development of contemporary arts in Texas in the 50's and 60's. He was a friend and mentor to many artists of the era. He was very active in the art communities of Fort Worth, Dallas, and Houston and was successful in bringing together artists and patrons to set the stage for the remarkable integration of contemporary art into Texas culture that would follow.
Williams died in 1966 at the age of 48.
