Art Gallery of Newfoundland and
Labrador (AGNL)
Shaped by the Sea
Permanent Collections
Considered to have been one of Newfoundland's best folk artists, Arch Williams never became seriously involved in painting until his retirement. In his own words: "I never had time to do it until I got too old to work."
Williams was born in the community of Ferryland in 1906 and spent his entire life in the same house that he and four generations of his family before him had lived in. His early years were spent earning a living through the fishery, an occupation of most young men at that time. After 17 years, he changed from the fishery to a local bookkeeping job with the Southern Shore Trading Company. Afterwards, he continued to play an important role in his community by working for the Community Council and helping to establish the Ferryland Historical Society and the Southern Shore Museum.
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Ferryland in Mourning for Dying Arts 1975 Acrylic 44 x 59 cm 
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It was not until 1970, when Williams had all but retired, that he started actively sketching and painting. It was at that time that another prominent Newfoundland artist, Gerald Squires, moved to Ferryland and began teaching adult art classes. Quickly recognizing his talent, Squires encouraged Williams to keep painting and helped him arrange exhibitions of his work, including his first one in 1974 at the Memorial University of Newfoundland Art Gallery.
Williams' art focused on the area that he knew and loved so well. Most of his images were of bright houses set against vibrant green hills in the Ferryland and Southern Shore region. While he painted mainly from memory, Williams also used old photographs or textbooks as sources of inspiration for his work. He recorded the geography of a community along with important buildings and sites. The paintings themselves are a historical record of the communities they represent. His artworks include Ferryland a Century Ago, Wreck of the Torhamvan and The Goodridge Premises.
Until his death in the mid-1980s, Williams maintained his routine of painting only in the winter months, since he was often too busy during the summer with his garden or chores around the house. He also preferred to paint at his kitchen table rather than in a studio.
