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William Basciani Bio
William M. Basciani is a unique and passionate artist from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. William paints to make a statement by displaying what inspires him the most. He displays his artistic ability by using his distinct style of variety in each of his paintings.
William was born in 1980, a member of the 4th generation of the largest family-owned mushroom business in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, "the mushroom capital of the world". As was expected of all the male members of his family, young William started working at the family's mushroom plant when he was still in elementary school, along with his grandfather, father, older brother, uncles, and numerous cousins.
Basciani showed a serious interest in art when he was very young. He was strongly encouraged by both his parents to pursue his talent. Having grown up surrounded by art and culture, Victoria Kraut, William's mother, naturally began taking her younger son to the Delaware Art Museum when he was in 1st grade. Basciani loved to draw, so when he was only eight years old and at his mother's urging, the budding artist enrolled at summer art classes at the Delaware Art Museum. That fall, he continued his passion by taking art classes at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, Delaware.
At the age of 12, Basciani began an apprenticeship with his father's good friend and a well-known artist named William O. Ewing III. Ewing quickly became William's mentor with the support of his father. Basciani has been classically trained in the Brandywine tradition, but has created his own style of expression, while maintaining the passion for the local culture that has become so well known.
William was awarded the Kennett Education Art Award in 1998. That same year he was accepted into the prestigious four-year Certificate program at Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the oldest and most renowned art school in the United States.
After earning his Certificate of Fine Arts, Basciani set up his studio in a historic barn in nearby Chadds Ford. This is where most of his work is created based on a diverse subject matter which continues to change every day.
In December 2010 William co-founded, "Painter's Folly", a group of like-minded artists. Together the group uses a unique approach to display their artwork to the public. The group occasionally will show their work together.
William's paintings have been collected in personal collections across the U.S and some internationally. Whether it be on trips to Europe, at his studio in Chadds Ford, or out on the farm, he paints wherever he may be. Basciani continues to pursue his passion for capturing the beauty of life.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2012 The Grand Opera House- solo exhibit, Wilmington, DE
2011 Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery- "Dare to Dream", West Chester, Pa.
2009 Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery – "A one man show", West Chester Pa.
2007 Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery, Act I, West Chester, Pa.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012 Chadds Ford Gallery, "Christmas in Miniature", Chadds Ford, Pa.
2012 Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery – Annual Miniature Exhibit, West Chester, Pa.
2012 Chadds Ford Gallery, "Nocturne", Chadds Ford, Pa.
2011 Chadds Ford Gallery, "Christmas in Miniature", Chadds Ford, Pa.
2011 Chenoa Manor "Art of Hope" Exhibition, Avondale, Pa.
2011 CCAA Members Show, West Chester, Pa.
2010 Painter's Folly Exhibitions, Kennett Square, Pa.
2010 Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery – Miniature Exhibit, West Chester, Pa.
2010 Hickman Foundation – "Art of Caring" Charity Benefit, West Chester, Pa.
2009 Chadds Ford Historical Society – Plein Air 2nd Annual Plein Air in Brandywine Valley, Chadds Ford, Pa.
2008 Newman Galleries, The Philadelphia Sketch Club 2008 Members Exhibition, Philadelphia, Pa.
2006 Chester County Arts Association, Growing the Arts Benefit Auction, West Chester, Pa.
2005 Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery, Sixth Annual Miniature Show, West Chester, Pa.
2005 Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery, Showdown: A Mentor and His Apprentice: The Work of William Ewing and William Basciani, West Chester, Pa.
2005 The Brandywine River Museum, The Young Friends of the Brandywine All Hallow's Eve Ball, Designed and painted murals on canvas used as backdrops for the dance, Chadds Ford, Pa.
2004 The Brandywine Valley Hemophilia Foundation Spring Dinner Dance Benefit Auction, Chadds Ford, Pa.
2004 Sunset Hill Fine Arts Gallery, Fifth Annual Miniature Show, West Chester, Pa.
2003 The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Annual Student Exhibition, spring, 2003 (exhibited 10 oil paintings), Philadelphia, Pa.
2003 Center for the Creative Arts, Annual Regional Fine Arts Exhibition, Yorklynn, De.
2003 The Brandywine Valley Hemophilia Foundation Spring Dinner Dance Benefit Auction, Chadds Ford, Pa.
2002 The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Annual Student Exhibition, (exhibited 10 oil paintings), Philadelphia, Pa.
2000 The Brandywine Valley Hemophilia Foundation Spring Dinner Dance Benefit Auction, Chadds Ford, Pa.
RELATED EXPERIENCE
2011 - Member, CCAA
2010 - Co-founder of Painter's Folly
2008-2011 - Member, Philadelphia Sketch Club
2005- 2011 - Chadds Ford Historical Society's Plein Air in the Brandywine Valley
2004-Present - Assistant instructor for art classes given by former mentor, William O. Ewing
Bibliography
2011 Catherine Quillman. "West Chester Gallery Walk Tonight" West Chester Gallery Walk : Oct. 7th, 2011 Denny Dyroff. "Gallery Walk Features Works of Local Artists". Daily Local Weekender. Oct. 7th 2011: p. 8-9 Sharyl Volpe. "Art Show; William Basciani's solo exhibit". Local Living Magazine. Sept. & Oct. 2011: p. 79- 80 John Chambless. "Avondale artist Dreams Big". Chester County Press. Oct. 5th, 2011: C1 & C2 Jeff Schaller. "Artists in Restaraunts". West Chester Dish. Oct. 5th, 2011 Margie Royal. "Works that Dare to Dream". Garnet Vallery Press. Oct. 5th 2011: D3 Marie Kazalia. "Emerging Artist William Basciani's solo exhibit "Dare to Dream".William Basciani Solo Exhibit : September 16th, 2011. Franz Osorio. Kennett Square Artist to open Solo exhibit in West Chester. Kennet Square Artist Exhibit in West Chester : Aug. 19th, 2011 Catherine Quillman. "Magic realists and storytellers", "100 artists of Brandywine", January 2011: 46-47 2010 Philadelphia Inquirer Sept. 18th 2011 Section C: page 1 John Chambless . "The Art of Caring", Chester County Living magazine, Sept. 12th 2010: D3 & D6 John Chambless . "The Art Gala at CCAA", Daily Local Weekender, March 26th 2010: 6 2009 John Chambless . "In View", Daily Local Weekender, Oct. 2nd 2009: 6 2008 Terry Conway. "Seeing the light", Delaware County Times, Sept. 5th 2008: p. 38 & 51 2007 "Local Artist's First exhibit", Greenville Community News, Oct 2nd, 2007: p. 18-19 Richard Scwartzman. "Basciani opens @ Sunset Hill", Chadds Ford Post, Oct 2007 John Chambless. "Basciani solo show opens at Sunset Hill", Daily Local Weekender, Oct 5th 2007: 3 2006 R.B. Strauss. "Spring and beyond at Gallery Bellaria", Avon Grove Sun, June 1, 2006; 13 Lydia Billon. "William Basciani" Chester County Living Magazine, Fall 2006: p. 85,86,104,105 2005 "Teacher and Student share exhibit", Delaware County County Daily times, Oct. 13th, 2005: 14 EDUCATION
1999-2003 - The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts - Philadelphia, Pa.
Earned Certificate of Fine Arts (double major in Painting)
1992-2004 - Apprenticeship with artist William O. Ewing - Unionville, Pa.
1990-1991 - Private Tutorage at the Center for Creative Arts - Yorklyn, De.
1988-1989 - Participated in summer art classes at the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington, De.