Hancock, William Harold (sold)
William Harold Hancock (October 24, 1920 - July 11, 2006) was an American commercial artist and landscape illustrator based in Indiana, Fort Myers, Florida, and his native Illinois. Hancock was born in Harrisburg, Illinois. He emerged as a gifted artist in his teens, when he won a national poster contest. By high school he was already an active local artist, charging 35 cents to paint shop windows. In 1939, he turned down tradition college scholarships to open his own studio at age 18 in 1939, but left soon afterwards to serve as a military artist during World War II (1939 - 1945). After the war, he moved to Indiana and studied at the John Herron Art Institute. He travelled widely throughout the United States and beyond, maintaining studios at Lake Tahoe, Ft. Myers, and Newcastle in the United Kingdom, and working with a variety of subjects including landscapes and portraits.
Original art for iconic Fort Myers travel poster.
This W. Harold Hancock's c. 1975 original artwork view of Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island), Florida. (more details)
Original art for iconic Marco Island travel poster.
This W. Harold Hancock's c. 1975 original artwork bird's-eye view of Marco Island, Florida. (more details)
Gateway to the Gulf of Mexico.
A pleasing c. 1980 pictorial view of Sanibel and Captiva Islands near Fort Myers, Florida, drawn by William Harold Hancock. (more details)