William Dakin
William Dakin William Dakin began considering a career in architecture and art at an early age, by drawing objects he found to be of interest that include landscapes or buildings. While working for a local drug store, he purchased a simple camera that began a lifelong interest and participation in the field of photography. This taught him composition and the placement of objects in three-dimensional space. Serving with the military in Europe, he traveled by motor scooter, drawing and photographing subjects of historic interest.
After military service, he earned an Architectural Degree from Texas A&M University and practiced a number of years as a design and construction professional in architectural practice. Some major project experience has been on the team of Dallas-Fort Worth airport, the World Trade Center, and the Dallas Galleria. In Houston, he worked on the team of The Renovation of Herman Hospital, the Transco Tower and the Republic Bank Center. This experience enabled him to further develop his management, drawing and artistic skills. In the 1970s he began painting with watercolors and oils, while showing in galleries throughout the southwest.
In the 1990s as System Architect for Texas State Technical College, he became interested in the creative possibilities the computer had for use in architectural practice. He took advantage of this capability by using it to design and model campus projects.
He maintains an architectural practice and, when possible, goes on painting, drawing and discovery trips exploring the mountains and deserts of the southwest. These trips are largely on unimproved dirt roads where one can discover nineteenth century adobe buildings, small churches and explore historical mystery whose answers are known only by local inhabitants. Dakin has had numerous one-man shows of his art and has exhibited in galleries in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. His paintings can be found in numerous private collections throughout the Southwest.
Rural Churches of Northern New Mexico (Beech River Books, 2013) is a collection of watercolors and notes about the churches of rural New Mexico. Art and historical research are used to show how the unique architecture of these buildings is influenced by the environment, culture and location. Includes 59 color plates."
