William J. Wilson was raised in Memphis and graduated from Christian Brothers HS and Memphis State University. He moved to Huntsville, Alabama in 1959 to join the von Braun team as a computer jock and eventually became a database and computer security consultant with the Sperry Univac Corporation (later UNISYS), retiring in 1990 to pursue his lifelong interests in writing and making mosaic art.
An Internationally published poet, Wilson is described by those who know him as everything from a Renaissance Man, to the "Amazing Mr. Wilson," to a wild and crazy man, known affectionately as "Wild Bill," the bohemian redneck poet. Wilson was among the first 1000 programmers on planet earth. With a degree in Romance Languages, that was in no way in line with his early ambitions. He was recruited, when the results of some tests he took came to the attention of government officials. For years he worked in various capacities for the US government, and was a well known cryptographer and inventor of several cryptographic systems.
Constantly recruited for higher level positions, he turned down many lucrative offers for what he describes as preferring to hang out with the hippies. An avid caver, he left his mark there too when he and a buddy set off in inner-tubes to map the waterways of Cathedral Caverns.
He did his job, although not always with the greatest of joy and continued to write poetry and practice his French and Spanish whenever the opportunity presented itself. Always a creative, there are stories of his artistic antics when ever there was a slow minute on the job. He has massive mobiles that delight children of all ages hanging at his local library. One time a buddy came over with a bottle of pineapple wine, and they penned a song that was supposed to be a bit of left wing propaganda, and "The Battle Hymn of Lieutenant Calley" ended up on the Top 40 Charts.
As soon as he retired, it was back to fueling his passions as a creative. His mosaic art is in a style known as Pique Assiette Mosaic. He makes his own tiles and shards out of found objects, namely cups, mugs and scavenged pieces of dinnerware. Rumor has it, he is the charmer who comes to dinner and disappears with your plate. When next you see it, it is part of his latest masterpiece. Such is the myth, although he'd think twice before turning down a good meal with good friends and good food, he scavenges junk stores and flea markets for his pallet.
The "Wizard's Chair," seen above right, was two years in the making. Widely acclaimed, this award winning creation was on display this fall at the Avampato Discovery Museum in Charleston WV.
For inquiries about his art contact Wilson directly at:
Email: cryptoad@aol.com
You can read more of Wm. J.'s writing online:
Poetry at Magic Stream
-- The Middle Way
-- Winter Solstice Poetry at Southern Gothic Online
-- Freak
-- Insomnia Fiction at MC Journal: A Journal of Media and Culture
-- The Fall of Every Sparrow
Email: cryptoad@aol.com
Copyright © Wm. J. Wilson
