At an early age, Bill Acheff (Alaskan Athabascan heritage) had an intense interest in painting, yet he never dreamed of becoming a professional painter. It took a chance encounter with the Italian artist Roberto Lupetti at a hair salon to reawaken his artistic aspirations. After a European-style apprenticeship with Lupetti, Acheff dedicated himself to painting and honed his trademark trompe l’oeil (“fools the eye”) style of realism. In his compositions, Acheff frequently represents objects and themes indicative of the Southwest. Specifically, his work often contains artifacts from different Native American cultures, for which he has a special affinity. As Acheff explains, “Artifacts and traditions of the past seem to hold more mystical and aesthetic value than those of contemporary times.”

In 1973, Acheff moved to Taos, a major turning point in his career, one which allowed him to find his niche and “develop my own style early on.” When asked about motivators for his practice, Acheff states, “I do it for the pure joy of painting . . . and I hope my paintings bring people inner peace.”

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