Clouds 2

Jacksonville-based abstract painter exploring color, texture, and the joyful unpredictability of materials.

Preferred Mediums

• Acrylic
  
• Oil
  
• Mixed media
  
• Watercolor
  

Biography

Bill Citara is a mostly self-taught abstract artist based in Jacksonville, Florida. He began painting a decade ago after more than 30 years as a restaurant critic and food-and-wine writer on both coasts. That long editorial career trained his eye for rhythm, structure, and sensory nuance. Those instincts now guide the layered surfaces and unexpected pairings that animate his paintings.

Citara describes his style as eclectic and rooted in play. Color fields, gestural marks, and tactile textures open broad, expressive spaces. He draws inspiration from Jules Olitski’s luminous surfaces, Brian Rutenberg’s coastal color, and Gerhard Richter’s veils of paint. “Found object” artists such as Joseph Cornell broaden his sense of discovery, while contemporary voices like Xiyao Wang keep him reaching for new energy and scale. The through line is curiosity.

Versatility drives his studio practice. Citara works in acrylic, oil, mixed media, and watercolor, often moving between them to chase a particular mood or edge. Each medium offers a different tempo—acrylic for speed, oil for depth, watercolor for breath. His compositions balance restraint and release, allowing viewers to enter through color and stay for the surprises in texture.

His paintings have appeared in numerous exhibitions across Florida, from the Florida Keys to Sarasota to Jacksonville. Along the way, he has enriched his practice through workshops with David Kessler, Sally Cooper, and the late Alan Soffer. These learning experiences strengthened his commitment to process and craft without sanding down his independent voice.

At Art Box Gallery & Studios in nearby St. Augustine—the region’s creative hub—Citara’s work fits a curatorial vision that welcomes exploration and story. Our rotating exhibitions invite viewers to experience the tactile pleasure of paint while meeting the artist behind the marks. Citara’s journey from journalism to abstraction adds a compelling narrative to that encounter. The result is work that is approachable, spirited, and alive with color.

Exhibitions & Achievements

• Exhibited in shows across Florida, including the Florida Keys, Sarasota, and Jacksonville
  
• Participated in workshops with David Kessler, Sally Cooper, and the late Alan Soffer
  

Artist Statement

“I’m a mostly self-taught abstract artist with a life-long passion for the creative arts. I began painting 10 years ago after more than 30 years as a restaurant critic/food-wine writer for newspapers, magazines and radio stations on the West and East Coasts.”