Bill Pfeffer is a Petaluma, California oil painter who creates original Northern California landscapes and seascapes. His paintings are impressionistic in style, with lively brushwork, rich color, and a deep affection for the places that inspire him, from the Sonoma Coast and Marin Headlands to wine country, rivers, mountains, and open spaces throughout California.

Bill was born and raised in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on the foggy shores of Lake Michigan. After earning a degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, he headed west in the early 1970s to leave the long winters behind and start a new chapter in California. He built a successful career in computer programming, and later in life painting grew from a hobby into an important creative pursuit.

One of the distinctive touches in Bill’s work is his love of antique and reclaimed materials. Many of his paintings are set in antique frames found in shops and markets over the years. Because those frames often come in unusual sizes, he frequently paints on gessoed wood panels cut to fit each one exactly. He also enjoys building custom frames from salvaged lumber and old barn wood, giving his work added warmth and character.

Bill paints in a comfortable studio in Petaluma that he and his wife, Marge, created from their rebuilt garage. He is a careful, thoughtful painter who prefers to work slowly, taking the time each painting needs before calling it finished. Bill and Marge also love to travel and have visited 115 countries, experiences that continue to shape his response to light, atmosphere, and place. Closer to home, they enjoy time with family and friends and volunteering in the Petaluma community.