William Rainey (b. 1943 – Joplin, Missouri) is an American painter whose vibrant acrylic works evoke a visceral, emotional response—much like the improvisational jazz that inspires him. Rainey has been captivating audiences and collectors for over five decades. His paintings are physical performances—bold, gestural, and immersive—created through a unique process of standing, scraping, spraying, and dancing across large canvases.

Rainey’s approach is rooted in feeling over form. As he puts it: “I stand to paint, spray, scrape, rub, dribble and dance around… to put whatever my subconscious feels like doing. That makes me a gestural painter. Color moves me—it’s the closest I can come to painting emotions.” These raw, intuitive expressions result in abstract compositions filled with metaphorical symbols, dynamic tension, and vibrant, shifting color fields. Each painting is a living work, dependent on viewer interaction. “People tell me they see something new every time they look. I love that,” he says. “I don’t care what you think about my work, as long as you think about it.”

Trained at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center and the Santa Fe Institute of Fine Arts Masters Program, Rainey has built a respected presence in the contemporary art world. His works are held in private and corporate collections across the globe. Select collectors include Shook, Hardy & Bacon (Kansas City), Data Systems International (Kansas City), Missouri Bank (Kansas City), Restaurant Management Company (Wichita), Lanard Toys Ltd. (Hong Kong), and The Conafay Group (Washington, D.C.).

For details and images, please contact us.