William McCarthy creates his landscape paintings from memory and imagination. Most of the scenes depicted are not based on any specific place but rather on the general past.  His only reference is a sketchbook he carries with him at all times, in which he draws thumbnail images.  The atmospheric quality is created through buildups of color and tonalities with layering of oil washed and medium glazes.

McCarthy has been painting for over 30-years with the last 15 years dedicated to landscape.

McCarthy has received numerous awards in outdoor art festivals, including Best of Show at the Fine Furnishings Show, in 2005; the First Prize in Painting at the Armonk Outdoor Art Show, in 2005; and the Best of Show Prize at the Columbus Art Festival, in 2005.