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Contact Bill directly:
WatermenArt@aol.com
Phone:  (714) 839-9302

Bill Hudson was born and raised in Baltimore. At a young age he realized both his artistic gifts and his attraction to the Chesapeake Bay. His father's family members were all watermen in the fishing hamlet of Greenbackville, Virginia located on the eastern shore's Chincoteague Bay. It was during summer vacations with his grandparents in Greenbackville that he began to develop a life-long interest in small fishing communities, old wooden work boats, and crabbing.

Also having an aptitude for math and the sciences, Bill graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia. He then pursued a 38-year career in aerospace and retired from Boeing.

In 1970 Bill married Ellie O'Brien in Anaheim, California. They have 8 children - 4 boys and 4 girls. Their family has always been their priority, motivation, and support. During the early years of marriage, Bill resumed his interest in art. He took night-college courses and began focusing on oil paintings of maritime scenes. He also started a commercial crabbing business with his brother-in-law, George. As the children grew, however, Bill realized his family was his full-time commitment and he put art and commercial fishing on hold.

Now retired from engineering and with the children grown, Bill is enjoying a second career. He has combined his love of art and the sea and is presenting a continuing series of watercolors he calls "The Lives of Watermen". In 2004 he first made this series of works available for purchase as originals and limited-edition giclées.

Bill is also the inventor of the patented Mahl Bridge and Mahl Bridge Clamps - artist tools that surpass the combined capabilities of Mahl sticks and art bridges. The Mahl Bridge holds draftsman profiles (straight edges, ship’s curves, etc.) in position above the surface of the painting to enable the artist to reproduce those shapes. Bill is President of Watermen Art which produces the Mahl Bridge and clamps. Both are now available world-wide. See www.MahlBridge.com.