By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - A "Lifetime of Art" will be presented at the Niles District Library beginning Aug. 1.
Lifelong Niles resident, William Blackmun, will have his work featured at the Eleanor and Mowitt Drew Gallery, located at the Niles District Library.
Blackmun, has been a professional artist since 1950. He graduated from Niles High School in 1943. He then attended the University of Notre Dame for one year and then served in the United States Army for 25 months.
After his discharge from the Army, Blackmun studied commercial art at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and then freelanced in Chicago for three years, while night attending classes at the American Academy of Art.
Upon returning to Niles, he build a commercial art business and also painted for his own pleasure.
His initial interest was in painting wildlife and later it turned to landscapes and scenes of the local area.
Blackmun works in several media including, oil, watercolor, gouache (opaque watercolor), and pen and ink.
His landscapes reflect his love of the natural world and memorable scenes to be shared by others.
The show was organized by a group of people who own pieces of Blackmun's work and really wanted to let the community see what he has done over the years.
Waterhouse added, "Many of us own a piece of William's work and have never seen it together with any other of his. Matter of fact, I don't think he has seen many of them together. It will be a wonderful showcase of his incredible work."
The Eleanor and Mowitt Drew Gallery is located in the Niles District Library's rotunda. Exhibits can be viewed during regular library hours: Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.