I first met Willam at the Bratenahl Community Center, where he was showing The World's Child. As he explained the piece, I was intrigued by the technology he was using to create it. Using precisely calibrated mirrors to reflect a palette that included both still and moving images—he was able to create a unique visual experience. Short on time, we arranged to meet for coffee and talk some more about his work. One of the main reasons I wanted to talk to him more was because he had submitted a proposal to the Ingenuity Festival and although he was turned down, he was very upbeat about it.

The day we had met, William had given me his contact info, part of which was an email address at TheMacGuru.com. Because of this, I initially thought that he was a tech guy dabbling in art. Wrong. Does that mean he's an artist dabbling in tech? No, I wouldn't call it that either. Over coffee, William mentioned a quotation by Teilhard de Chardin—“You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.” From my conversation with William, I'd say he's a spiritual being immersed in a creative experience that combines art and technology. Talking to him, you get a sense of the deep connection he has to the world around him. That and the energy of his ideas.

Higgins has lots of ideas, and those ideas are breeding more. There aren't many artists that refer to their piece as a "proof of concept", but that's what The World's Child is—a "proof of concept". A concept that's patent-pending too. As William and I talked, he explained that this piece is just the beginning—that he envisions murals where on one side of the gallery are his calibrated mirrors, and on the other, the collage of images that reflect in the mirrors on the opposite wall. Add to that live feeds from the internet or television broadcasts, and you've got something you've never seen before—anywhere.

I have to say, I'm a bit disappointed that we won't be seeing his vision made reality at this year's Ingenuity Festival. It seems like the perfect fit—a Cleveland resident using technology to create fascinating experiences for people participating in the environment. Not to mention, the palettes he uses can be altered to change the mood of the piece. Working in collaboration with musicians, William can alter the images according to the music they're playing. How cool is that? William did tell me that Festival Director James Levin was very accommodating, even though they couldn't provide funding for his work. In another example of the spirit of Ingenuity, William tells me that he and James have worked out an agreement. Higgins is going to be selling a series of 5 different limited edition prints—signed and numbered, 200 of each of the 5 editions. They are going to sell for $20 each and will include a one-day pass for Ingenuity. The normal price of the ticket is $10. That's just one of several endeavors William is undertaking to promote his work. Check out RoadToIngenuity.com where he's posting to a vlog (video blog) and seeking sponsors for his piece.

Why is he working so hard to get this piece to the Ingenuity Festival? I think there are several reasons. First of all, he's a "virgin" when it comes to art. His words, not mine. He's never had any formal training and told me he didn't know who Vincent Van Gogh was until he was 18. William grew up in the Mojave Desert in the northern part of Southern California and first learned about art from a co-worker, since the town he's from is what he refers to as "a cultural vacuum". He's never been to art school—although someday he might—but for now he prefers to look at things with unadulterated eyes. Another, he's a businessperson. He runs his own business, and prefers low-cost, guerilla marketing techniques using technology. He told me his story of going down to the set of Spiderman 3 and passing out his business card to the Mac users on the film crew. Still another reason is something I mentioned early—it's spiritual. William's message has to do with humanity and the choices we face. Do we continue on this path that we're on, or do we change and by doing so, change the course of history? Another story William told me was why he and his family came to Northeast Ohio from Northern California. William's wife is originally from here, and after the 1994 earthquake that damaged the house they were living in at the time—damaged so badly that a concrete wall fell where his daughter was standing the minute before—it was time to move someplace safe. Talk about changing the course of history.

Finally, the biggest reason is the success William had on a recent Murray Hill Art Walk. Prior to that event, he had only showed his work to a handful of people. As you can see below in photos captured by Janet Century, the work generates a variety of reaction. Because the scale of the palette is small, William adjusts the field of mirrors to the height of each viewer. In doing so, he gets to converse with everyone who views it. Can you imagine the impact it'll have at the Ingenuity Festival if he can raise the funds?

From Cool Cleveland contributor George Nemeth georgeATcoolcleveland.com

Photos by Janet Century www.JanetCentury.com (:divend:)