William Hoffman (painter)
William Hoffman was a self-taught American painter known for his seascapes and Western-themed oil paintings. Born and raised in Montana, he worked on cattle ranches before serving in the United States Marine Corps during World War II.
After the war, Hoffman pursued several careers and briefly attended three colleges. While working as a regional manager for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers in 1964, he visited a San Francisco art gallery, which inspired him to begin painting.
Hoffman's early works featured the Pacific Ocean. A Los Angeles art dealer offered to buy his entire output sight unseen. Over the following decade, he completed 22 paintings that were widely reproduced. Later in his career, he turned toward Western scenes, focusing on Native American subjects and frontier landscapes.
Legacy
Hoffman's paintings have appeared in national art auctions, with prices ranging from $50 to $3,300. His Moonlit Seascape sold for $3,300 at Altermann Galleries in 2000.
Books
Hoffman illustrated or provided cover art for the following books:The First Easter by Peter MarshallFive World Biographies, ed. Leon Edel, et al.Four English Biographies by J. B. Priestley and O. B. DavisThe Blue of Capricorn by Eugene BurdickIndian Uprising by George Cory FranklinThe Last Portage by Walter O'MearaHero of Trafalgar by A. B. C. WhippleBacktrack by Milton LottTime Was by John Foster WestPhaëthon by Merrill PollackHeroes, Gods and Monsters of the Greek Myths by Bernard EvslinPoems to Remember by Dorothy Petitt
Dust jackets
He also illustrated covers for:Kings Will Be Tyrants by Ward HawkinsThe Levantines by Fausta CialenteThe Mountbattens by Alden R. HatchAvalon by Anya SetonWorld in a Glass by John Dos PassosA Tract of Time by Smith HempstoneJubilee by Margaret WalkerEarth Abides by George R. StewartOperation Destruct by Christopher NicoleLogan's Run by William F. Nolan and George Clayton JohnsonWhere the Cavern Ends by Christopher Nicole