The inspiration in William Eckhardt Kohler's subjects is drawn from ancient places visited during his travels in Denmark, France and Nova Scotia. A rich, prehistoric vocabulary had become available to him. Through the unearthing of archaic imagery such as birds and metaphors of beauty, transcendence and love, the artist creates his own personal mythology on paper and on canvas. These personal archetypes reoccur throughout the body of his work recounting an ever evolving story. The work is captivating by its layered imagery and by the surprises discovered the longer the viewer lingers before the work.
Kohler's formal education includes studies at the University of Pennsylvania, a degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and a Yale Norfolk Summer Residency. He left the east coast to complete an MFA degree at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1985. Since then, Chicago has been his base where he has shown his paintings and has established representation in New York and Canada.