Mississippi Monday | William Goodman

It's #MissisisppiMonday and today we are so excited to introduce you to artist and fellow-Jacksonian, William Goodman! His work is so full of life and energy, and instantly recognizable about the city. We're so happy he's shared some recent photos from his studio and participated in a Q & A here with us on the blog today! And, without further ado...

Q & A with WILLIAM!:

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What exactly is Enhanced Mixture? And how did that come about?

Enhanced Mixture came about in the year 2000 when I first started working as a full-time artist in Jackson, MS. I am actually moving away from using Enhanced Mixture and focusing on being called William Goodman - my Web site is about to change as well to focus on using my name instead of Enhanced Mixture. The Enhanced Mixture brand was something I created many years ago and it is becoming more and more obsolete.

How did you get started and what was the inspiration to take the small business leap?

From 2000-2002 I was the creative director at The Mustard Seed, a home and school for mentally challenged adults. In 2003, I decided to go out on my own as an artist after I started getting some commissions and positive feedback locally. I was painting every day, working in my studio in the Fondren Corner Building. Fondren was my inspiration in many ways. Amazing things were and still are happening in the neighborhood and I have lived there since 2003. My wife and I own a house there now. I knew that in order to make my living as an artist full-time I have to diversify the business end of my endeavors. I have done many different types of projects over the years and created many different types of art, from paintings to murals to t-shirt designs. Right now I am focused showing my work on a national level while maintaining my creative roots here in Fondren.

How does Mississippi play a role in your business?

Mississippi has always provided me with a depth of inspiration and a multitude of friendships across the state. I have friends in many cities here and friends who grew up here who I connect with whenever I travel. Additionally, there is a raw beauty and elegance in Mississippi that continues to inspire me all the time. Many of the photographic elements of my work fuse the beauty and decay of the Mississippi countryside with the urban landscape of larger cities. As a business owner, I've had immense amounts of local support from my fellow Mississippians and I have had the privilege to work for several Mississippi-based companies including Yates Construction and the Viking Corp., and I have also done work for the Mississippi Museum of Art. I've recently completed work for The Graduate Hotel in Oxford, MS. I've worked locally with many restaurant owners including Robert St. John, Jeff Good & Dan Blumenthal, Nathan Glenn, and Derek Emerson. Without my Mississippi roots, I would not be who I am today.

What are your goals for your brand?

I'm trying to build an even stronger Web presence through connecting with friends and fans on Instagram and Facebook. I am always trying to diversify and look for new opportunities to collaborate and expand my work.

What is your background?

I briefly attended North Carolina School for the Arts, but I like to consider myself a self-taught artist. Over the years I have been blessed with many great teachers and mentors who have encouraged and inspired me.

Where do you all find inspiration?

Movies, music, traveling, connecting with all different types of people, working with other artists, going to art fairs such as Basel, getting in the car and driving until I am (intentionally) lost.

What do you like to do when you aren't creating/building?

I love spending time with my wife Nell and doing home improvement projects and art projects with her. We recently renovated our 1950's Fondren house together, and we both love to travel as much as we can. I love binge-watching gritty, visceral TV shows. I am addicted to spin classes at my local gym, the Club at St. D. I will just admit that I am totally addicted to sweets and I am always ready to try a new bakery or find a new place to eat dessert. I have a wonderful little Shetland Sheepdog named Sophie that I love to take on walks, and I am thrilled to say that I have a daughter on the way, so I am sure that she will be another preoccupation for me whenever I am not working.

What are your favorite local places to shop and dine?

Any of Derek Emerson and Nathan Glenn's restaurants, Lemuria Bookstore, Ace Hardware in Fondren, Rainbow, Sneaky Bean and Cups, Sakura Bana, Alladins Mediterranean Grill, Swell-o-Phonic for the latest kicks, Diva Dog, Deep South Pops, La Brioche, Fischer Gallery, Art Supply Headquarters - and of course, Thimblepress!! Fondren Barber Shop, Blithe and Vine, and Beckham Jewelers if I am shopping for presents for my wife Nell. For kid stuff for our daughter (due in February), I love Row 10 Baby and the Toy Place.

What are some of the reasons you call Mississippi home?

Friends, culture, family, affordability, music, Fondren, local shops and restaurants, the art community, the Mississippi Museum of Art and all the support they offer local artists, Millsaps College (where I have taught enrichment classes), St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral (where I've been a member since I was 11 years old)

How do you think what you are doing is helping to shape your local community as well as the image of Mississippi?

On a local level, I try to be present in the economic sphere by shopping local and giving back to local establishments. My wife and I support all the local no-kill shelters, and I have donated my artwork to auctions to raise money for numerous notable local philanthropies and organizations for over 15 years running. I try to donate at least 5 large paintings a year to such local organizations and philanthropies.

I believe that Mississippi artists prove that this state can possess and nurture a wealth of talent. If you look around you can see how many creative people are actually here - people who have not only stayed, but people who are coming back. I believe this contributes to a better image of Mississippi.

Want to learn more? Keep up and find William's art in all these places:

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

and for all our dog lover's out there, follow William's sweet pup Sophie HERE