Louise Williams was born in 1947 in Phoenix, Arizona. When Louise was only two weeks old the family moved to Denver, Colorado. Both her mother and grandmother were seamstresses and her father was a lineman for the telephone company. She went to the University of Northern Colorado from 1965-1967 directly after high school with a focus in Art Education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with a Design Concentration with Great Distinction and Honors in Art from San Jose University in 1969. She received her second Bachelor of Arts from The Evergreen State College in 1979 with an emphasis in Fine Metals, Painting, and Art History. She received her Masters of Fine Arts from Central Washington University in 1985 with a focus in drawing and painting. She taught at various colleges, including: The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington, visiting faculty from 1988 to 1989, adjunct faculty from 1994 to 1998 and full faculty member from 1998 to 2001, Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri, Assistant Professor from 1989 to 1990, South Puget Sound Community College, Olympia, Washington from 1988 to 1989, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, Adjunct faculty from 1985 to 1986, Yakima Valley Community College, Yakima, Washington in 1984, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Washington, Graduate Assistant from 1982 to 1985, and Centralia Community College, Centralia, Washington, faculty from 1973 to 1974 and again in 1993, and as Assistant to the Coordinator of the Indochinese Refugee Program from 1980 to 1981. She had two artist residencies; Ucross Foundation, Artist in Residence, 1987 and Centrum Foundation, Printmaker in Residence, 1995. In addition, she was a guest lecturer in many places across Washington state. She also exhibited in over 200 one person, group and juried shows. She has won various awards and her work is featured in many public collections. She was married at age twenty, and had two children though she divorced and many of her years as an artist she was a single parent. She later married Tom Lineham. Louise Williams was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2000. She lost the battle with cancer in 2004.
From the guide to the Louise Williams Papers, 1966-2004, (The Evergreen State College Archives and Special Collections)
