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Bill Ham was born in Greenville, Mississippi in 1932. He graduated from the University of Houston in 1954 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. Following two years military service and a sojourn in commercial "art", he moved to San Francisco in 1959 and began a period of experimentation and studio work. For the next five years Bill worked with mixed media materials, concentrating on direct spontaneous (intuitive) techniques.

In the fall of 1964, he began working with light - electricity. He experimented with kinetic materials, and built a 4' x 6' light mural "programmed" to operate indefinitely. This piece was installed at the RED DOG SALOON in Virginia City, Nevada. ".. the first S.F. psychedelic light and rock 'n roll show.'' The main focus of his work, however, turned to the possibility of "painting" directly with projection. The transparent overhead projector provided a projection system uniquely suitable.

The video has music composed by Jim Lowe which is a perfect compliment to Bill Ham's images. The Entire video tape is an exquisite display of sound and visuals. The experience is a tour de force of the magic and lyrical beauty of sound and light synthesis, and is in the historical family of Scriabin's Tone Poems. This is the perfect Techno-Rave accompanying visual.

Portrait of Bill Ham in his studio - 2002

Review Comments:

Following months of studio work in January, 1966, Ham presented three weeks of electric action painting performances in San Francisco. Asisted by Robert Fine with music by William Spencer and Oscar Daniels.

Of these performances,Alfred Frankenstein, San Francisco Chronicle Jan. 1966, said:

"Saturday night... Ham demonstrated the latest and one of the most successful of the numerous efforts which have been made to add the dynamic of motion to abstract painting. What I like most about Ham's method is that is is the artist's hands at all times. It is a performance. It is action painting that ceases with the action... "

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Philip Elwood, SF Examiner, January 1966:

"Instant art... this is a remarkable happening; a brilliant and beautiful collection of instants which become a whole, like a series of exquisite.. solo choruses. Each individual must gain something by the experience: it is like a living active Rorschach."

The Family Dog Avalon Ballroom
After these first public performances, Ham continued studio work perfecting equipment and techniques for multi-projection audio visual art. In 1966, his work had tremendous popular impact as part of the original San Francisco rock dance light show events. Using multi-image projection techniques, including slide, film, strobe and other special effects, as well as his own distinctive use of the overhead projector with liquids, etc.,
Ham's light show at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco did much to "popularize" the light show and establish the basic from for the rock dance light show that followed.

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