An Exhibition by William S. Fitts
William “Bill” Fitts was born and raised in Forest Hills, New York, blocks away from Hudson and Ione Walker (the parents of local gallery owner Berta Walker). Encouraging Bill’s artistic leanings, they introduced him to Provincetown in the early 50’s, and now, Bill has been a year-round resident of Provincetown for 60+ years.
Fitts played an active role in the community throughout those 60 years. He was a volunteer firefighter on Pumper #5 for 25 years, Captain of the Forest Fire Squad, member of the town’s Water Commission for seven years, founding board member of the Peaked Hill Trust, and a member of the Conservation Trust. Throughout these years, he has been one thing above all else - an artist.
Bill started his art studies at Columbia College while following his parents’ wishes to get a “sensible” degree in Economics. From there, he was drafted into the army, where he was stationed just outside of Washington, D.C.. This enabled him to continue his art studies with classes at American University. While in the army, he stumbled into a job doing artist renderings of military equipment in action. Not ideal for a peace-loving beatnik, however, a practical artistic exercise.
In 1964, after his military service and a short stint in the New York City business world, Bill moved to Provincetown full-time. While doing odd jobs, he studied with Phil Malicoat, was one of the first fellows at the Fine Arts Work Center, and joined the Beachcombers. Bill was also vice president at the Provincetown Art Association for a short time. However, with a young family to feed, Fitts turned to his acquired carpentry skills to make his living and specialized in designing and building wooden bulkheads. The bulkheads built by his company, Turtle Woodworks, were easy to spot as he topped each one with a carved turtle to represent his crew. Any excuse to employ his artistic bent.
After hanging up his tool belt, Bill was able to refocus on his art, and for many years, became a fixture at the Fine Arts Work Center’s Summer Printmaking Classes, working closely with Michael Mazur and Bert Yarborough, among others. Thanks to his mind for design and carpentry skills, he was an instrumental participant in designing and building the print studio at FAWC.
Life once again put a speed bump in Bill’s artistic path as he cared for his wife during her battle with Kidney disease; she passed in 2017. However, during this time, he unwittingly did continue to create. With household cooking duties falling to him, he quickly had to develop his skills beyond boiling eggs. To do this, Bill would find a recipe and illustrate step-by-step how to prepare each dish. The amassed recipes became a beautiful collection that eventually led to a “covid project” and self-published book!
As Bill’s mobility has waned in recent years, his daughter transformed his living space (in the house that he designed and built) into a studio where Bill is now working in gouache.
In addition to his home studio, Bill is taking full advantage of the amazing classes and services offered by the Provincetown Council on Aging. During the past few winters, artist Steve Kennedy has given an open studio art class for all levels and painting mediums. It is here that Bill’s portfolio has grown by leaps and bounds! He has finally been able to dedicate his energy solely to his art and has a place to collaborate with other artists, despite age and mobility challenges.
Bill was featured at the Berta Walker Gallery (who represents his work) during the summer seasons in 2024 and 2025. Recently, Fitts was commissioned by the Provincetown Portuguese Festival committee (now approaching its 78th year “Blessing of the Fleet”) to depict the “Miss Lily” - the lead boat for 2026. This artistic rendering will be featured on the Festival booklet cover and 2026 merchandise.
Today, William “Bill” Fitts stands as a cherished thread in Provincetown’s artistic and civic tapestry—an artist whose life has been shaped by equal parts creativity, community service, resilience, and quiet generosity. From his early days as a promising young painter to his decades of woodworking, volunteerism, and printmaking, Bill has continually reinvented how he practices and shares his art. Even as life presented profound challenges, he transformed them into opportunities for expression, reflection, and growth. Now working from his home studio and engaging with fellow artists at the Council on Aging, Bill continues to inspire with his unwavering dedication to craft and community. His recent gallery exhibitions and the honor of illustrating the 2026 Portuguese Festival’s “Blessing of the Fleet” further affirm what Provincetown has long known: Bill Fitts is not only an artist of remarkable vision, but a beloved steward of the town’s creative spirit—still contributing, still evolving, and still deeply rooted in the place he has called home for more than six decades.
For more, please visit: bertawalker.com