Southwest Florida oil painter William North was named Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park "Resident Artist," on Feb. 2, 2007.

In making the announcement, Lois Cantwell, president of the park's citizen support organization and Robert Steiger, park manager, said North was selected to be the park's first resident artist on the basis of the quality and appropriateness of his work and his long history of painting on location at the park. The artist has painted at the park for more than ten years and was the inspiration for the first park art exhibit nine years ago.

William North (b.1927) has been painting in oils for more than sixty years. He is a graduate of Pratt Institute (BFA 1951) and attended the New York Art Student's League and the Lyme Academy of Fine Art in Connecticut. Over the years he has been represented in galleries, recently including Naples, Sanibel and Bonita Springs. His work is in the permanent collection of the Naples Art Association and he was the first Lee County artist invited to exhibit in the Governor's Gallery in the State Capital. His oil paintings are presently featured at the Florida Fine Art Gallery in Gannon's Antiques & Art Center, 16521 South Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers.

The artist will not literally reside at the park but will commute from his south Fort Myers home for his mostly-morning painting excursions to the beach. There will be an exhibit of the artist's work at the beach on March 24, 2007 and another in March 2008 at the culmination of his residency.

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park is located at 11135 Gulfshore Drive, Naples, and is open 365 days a year. Entrance fee information and directions can be obtained by calling 239-597-6196.