Artist William B. Montgomery is known in the international herpetological community for his reptile etchings and lithographs that combine exact scientific depiction with the animal’s innate sensuous beauty. Based on the tradition of the early natural history engravings, these scientifically accurate, yet artistically exquisite etchings and lithographs have been commissioned for a variety of publications. These works include a Canebrake Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus atricaudatus) for Biology of the Pitvipers (Selva, 1992); a Banded Rock Rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus klauberi) for the latest reprint of Klauber’s monumental work, Rattlesnakes (University of California Press, 1997); and a European adder (Vipera b. berus) for the upcoming Biology of the Vipers (Biological Sciences Press).

All of Montgomery’s prints are hand-pulled etchings and lithographs on high quality, acid-free paper. These are not reproductions; the images are drawn directly onto copper plates or lithographic stones so each of the hand-pulled prints is considered an original. Hand colored prints are individually colored by the artist using high quality, light fast watercolors.

Born and raised in the piney woods of East Texas, Montgomery studied art at the Kansas City Art Institute and the University of New Mexico. He currently lives east of Austin on 17 acres of land with his wife, several dogs, a few chickens and some reptiles. A full time painter and printmaker, he occasionally takes time out from his studio in the historic section of Elgin to search out and photograph reptiles and amphibians in the U.S., Mexico, Central and South America, Europe and Asia.

EDUCATION

University of New Mexico, 1973-1974
Art Institute of Perugia, Italy, 1974
Kansas City Art Institute, 1974-1975
University of New Mexico, 1975-1977

EXHIBITIONS

2001
The Minnesota National Print Biennial, Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

2000
Significant Other: Margie Crisp & William B. Montgomery, Tarrytown Gallery, Austin, Texas
Counterpoint 2000: 32nd Annual National Printmaking, Drawing & Photography Exhibition , Hill Country Arts Foundation, Kerrville, Texas
Silvermine National Print Bienniel, Silvermine Guild Arts Center, New Canaan, Connecticut

1999
Multiple Impressions: The Austin Printmaking Community, ACA Gallery, Austin, Texas
McNay Print Fair, McNay Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas

1997
William B. Montgomery, Waco Art Center, Waco Texas
Natural Wonders, Valley House Gallery Inc., Dallas, Texas
Primarily Paper, Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, Texas

1996
Southwest ‘96, Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Confluence, Hill Country Arts Foundation, Ingram, Texas
Images of Nature, Martin-Rathburn Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
Something in the Water, Tarrytown Gallery, Austin, Texas

1995
William B. Montgomery, Narrative Landscapes, de Saisset Museum, University of Santa Clara, Santa Clara, California
Reality Check: William B. Montgomery & Michael Mogavera, Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, Texas
William B. Montgomery & Bradley Peterson, Martin-Rathburn Gallery,
San Antonio, Texas

1994
William B. Montgomery, The Cinnabar, Alpine, Texas

1993
William B. Montgomery, Lovegene Gallery, Marathon, Texas

1992
20th Anniversary Exhibition- 1972-1992, The Art Center, Waco, Texas
Second Nature, Adair Margo Gallery, El Paso, Texas

1991
William B. Montgomery, Lovegene Gallery, Marathon, Texas
The Naked Show, Hall-Barnett Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana

1990
The Flower Show, Hall-Barnett Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
Art in Public Places: Billboard Award, Austin Visual Arts Association, Austin
Another Chain Reaction, Austin Visual Arts Association, Austin, Texas

1989
Intimate Images: Small Works on Paper, St. Edward's University, Austin, Texas
Grand Opening, Hall-Barnett Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
William B. Montgomery, Clifford Gallery, Dallas, Texas

1988
William Montgomery, Recent Works, Tyler Museum of Art, Tyler, Texas
William B. Montgomery and Amy Bridges, Dean Gallery, Tyler, Texas
Zoomorphism: Animals in Art, Tramell Crow Center, Dallas, Texas

1987
True Wit, Humor in Texas Art, Cullen Center, Houston Texas
William B. Montgomery, Clifford Gallery, Dallas, Texas

1985
Southwest '85, Museum of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Twenty-Sixth Invitational, Longview Museum, Longview, Texas
Dimensional Paper, San Antonio Art Institute Gallery, San Antonio, Texas

1984
William B. Montgomery, Clifford Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Exposition Grafica, Galeria Municipal, Guadalajara, Mexico

1983
New Figurative Drawing in Texas, San Antonio Art Institute Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
Invitational '83, Longview Museum and Arts Center, Longview, Texas
Four State Survey, Santa Fe Festival of the Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico

1982
Fun and Games, The Art Center, Waco, Texas
Invitational '82, Longview Museum and Arts Center, Longview, Texas

1981
William B. Montgomery, Roberta Starr Gallery, Austin, Texas
William B. Montgomery, Clifford Gallery, Dallas, Texas
Invitational '81, Longview Museum and Arts Center, Longview, Texas

1980
Invitational '80, Longview Museum and Arts Center, Longview, Texas
Fantasy, Bois D'Arc Gallery, Austin, Texas
Texas Only, Texas Fine Arts Association Annual Exhibition, Laguna Gloria Art Museum, Austin, Texas

1979
Contemporary Art Exhibition, Laguna Gloria Art Museum, Austin, Texas
Corpus Christi Art Foundation Annual Exhibition, Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi, Texas
New Works - Carol Ivey and William B. Montgomery, Laguna Gloria Art Museum, Austin, Texas
National Print Invitational, University of Dallas, Dallas, Texas (touring)

1978
Images - L.B. Brown and William B. Montgomery, Trinity House Gallery, Austin, Texas

1977
William B. Montgomery, Triple G Gallery, Providence, Rhode Island

1976
Two Edges on a Line, ASA Gallery, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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COMMISSIONS

Selva Press, book cover (etching), Biology of the Pitvipers, John Campbell, ed., 1991
University of Nebraska Press, book cover (etching), Murders at Moon Dance, A.B. Guthrie, 1993
San Antonio Film Commision, painting for billboard; displayed on Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California, 1995
University of California Press, book cover (etching), Rattlesnakes, Lawrence M. Klauber, 1997 (reprint)
George Ramsey, Austin, Texas, painting; (Naked Smoker II), 1998 Biological Sciences Press, book cover, Biology of the Vipers (in progress)

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HONORS AND AWARDS

Juror’s Choice Award, Counterpoint 2000, Hill Country Arts Foundation, Kerrville, Texas 2000
Award of Merit, Southwest ‘96, Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe, New Mexico 1996
Texas Star Award, KLRU Auction Exhibition, Austin, Texas, 1992
Billboard Award, Art in Public Places, Austin Visual Arts Association, Austin, Texas 1990
Best of Show, Texas Only, Texas Fine Arts Association Annual Exhibition, Laguna Gloria Art Museum, Austin, Texas 1980
TFAA Scholarship, Texas Fine Arts Association, 1972

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

“Dead Cars and Live Snakes: The Provocative Art of William B. Montgomery”, Margie Crisp, Fauna Magazine, May/June 2001 16 photos
“Texas Landscapes Become Couple’s Dreamscapes”, Michael Barnes, Austin American - Statesman, February 21, 2000
"William B. Montgomery, paintings and works on paper", catalog, Waco Art Center, 1997 3 photos
"Painting Problems at Biennial Fiasco", Tom Collins, Santa Fe Reporter, March 27-April 2, 1996 photo
"Nightmarish scenes highlight art show in Blue Star complex", Dan R. Goddard, San Antonio Express-News, January 4, 1996 photo
"A day in modern times, De Saisset Museum exhibits a contemporary classic", Pavitra Maragani, Santa Clara Valley Weekly, February 1-7, 1995 photo
"Winter shows at de Saisset feature contemporary American artists", Santa Clara Spectrum, February 1, 1995 photo
"Landscapes Unloosed, The art of Chester Arnold and William Montgomery", MetroGuide, Santa Clara, CA January 26-February 1, 1995 photo
"Landscape Painting's dark twists", Amanda Wong, The Santa Clara, February 23, 1995 photo
"William B. Montgomery, Narrative Landscapes", de Saisset Museum, bulletin, 1995 photo
"La naturaleza no debe morir", Elizabeth Medina, El Paso Times, October 1, 1992, photo
"City's biggest works of art to go on display", Jill Oleson, Austin American-Statesman, November 5, 1990 photo
"Recent Works: Bill Montgomery", Ron Gleason, The Tyler Museum of Art Review, December 1988-January 1989, 2 photos
"'True Wit' seems to be missing from art exhibit", Susan Chadwick, The Houston Post, August 9, 1987
"Outstanding artists honored at festival ball", Carol J.Everingham, The Houston Post, March 2, 1985 photo
"Three Austin artists place in Santa Fe show", Alice Shukalo, Austin American-Statesman, March 12, 1985 photo
"Texas Annual", Mel McCombie, Austin American-Statesman, October 17, 1985
"Southwestern art shows its stuff", Janet Kutner, Dallas Morning News, March 16, 1985, photo
"'Imbalanced' artist Bill Montgomery presents a captivating show", Kevin Fox, Dallas Downtown News, May 14-20, 1984 photo
"Report from Santa Fe, Figuration and Fantasy", David Bell, Art in America, photo, January, 1984
"Artistic License", Ray Donley, Austin American-Statesman, January 19, 1984
"Figuratives Highly Imaginative", Patsy Neal, The San Antonio Light, January 28, 1983
"Art Center show not all 'Fun and Games'", Bob Darden, Waco Tribune Herald, September 19, 1982
"Artist William Montgomery Imposes Humor on Reality", Kathryn McKenna Bolger, Austin American-Statesman, photo, February 5, 1981, photo
"Not "into" modern art? This show's for you", Kathryn McKenna Bolger, Austin American-Statesman, August 31, 1980, photo
"'Texas Only' an exhibit of tomfoolery", Ray Ydoyaga, The Daily Texan, September 8, 1980, photo
"Bill Montgomery, Former TFAA High School Scholarship Winner Takes "Best of Show", TFAA Newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 4, Fall 1980, 3 photos
"Abstract Realism: Common Things Spice Art", Kathryn McKenna Bolger, Austin American-Statesman, November 17, 1979
"Varied Visions of the Surreal", Ron Snyder, The Daily Texan, July 19, 1978, 2 photos
"Etchings Reveal Imagery", Citizen Marquee, Austin, Texas, June 30, 1978, photo

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