Beauty, Strength, and Courage

The Intersect Arts Center Gallery presents Beauty, Strength, and Courage, an exhibit of twenty-seven life size portraits of immigrant women living in St. Louis, painted by St. Louis artist Bill Perry.

The paintings celebrate the humanity of women who have come to St. Louis from a vast array of countries, including: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Lebanon, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Slovenia, Syria, Ukraine, Togo, Uzbekistan, and Zimbabwe.

Perry embarked on this series of traditionally styled portraits, painting for over two years, to memorialize the fortitude, ambition, dedication, and resilience these women bring to the United States, and to St. Louis. The stories of steadfast resourcefulness, and determination are both inspiring and moving. This exhibition stands as an extended welcome to these women and their families, and all immigrants who find themselves here.

Bill Perry earned his B.F.A. in Ceramics at the University of Hawaii. He earned his M.A. and M.F.A. at Fontbonne University. Perry has contributed a full career to the St. Louis arts community, showing at local galleries, including the Intersect Arts Center, Art St. Louis, St. Louis Artists’ Guild, and the Kranzberg. Perry has playground sculptures for the College School of Webster Groves and local bike trails, worked with circus Flora, the Audobon Society and has published two children’s books.

In 1976, Perry was one of the founding faculty of Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, St. Louis city’s high school for the arts, where he still teaches drawing, painting, and art history.

Bill Perry lives in St. Louis with his wife and his two wonderful adult children.