(1933 - 2007)
1981 - Liberal Jewish Synagogue Mural
In 1981 Bill was approached by an old friend of his and Pat's, Rabbi David Goldberg, about producing a mural for the Liberal Jewish Synagogue in St. John's Wood, London. Goldberg had known Pat since the late 1950s and had always been an admirer of Bill's work. By good fortune the family of Irvine Seller, a member of the congregation had donated some money to be spent on an artwork in memory of Seller's late father, Jonas, for display in the synagogue, and Goldberg proposed Bill to the committee.
Following the production of a cartoon (smaller scale draft work) Bill's commission was agreed and he began the creation of a major work across 8 panels. The mural depicts the three major Jewish harvest festivals: Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks) and Sukkot (Tabernacles), as well as depictions of specific people of importance in the Jewish scriptures.
N.B. the mural was commissioned to be displayed between several pillars, as per its original location. The synagogue later moved the work and sought Bill's assistance in displaying it continuously without the columns. The work can be seen by the public by appointment with the LJS.