I am inspired by the splendor and diversity of life on this planet and its place in our universe.

Simply put, life is a gift, precious and exquisite. Life’s bliss is purpose and fulfillment. Nature is a model of living fully.

I love capturing the beauty in people, animals, plants, landscapes, weather and the night sky.

It is a joy to be outside with my camera. It is a transformative experience. My awareness heightens to the sights, sounds and other sensations from the habitats around me, even as my presence is also felt by their inhabitants.

I believe life is a wondrous thing, a miracle even, filled with miraculous events. My highest goal with the camera is to catch glimpses of these events so they don’t go unnoticed.

I studied biology and earth sciences and have a degree in environmental management and protection. I volunteered as a fish culture advisor for the Peace Corps in Africa. I studied medicine and served as a physician in the US Air Force and as a small town family doctor until my retirement in 2013.

I loved practicing medicine but my memory started to fade so I gave it up before it could affect my patient care.

Giving up the practice of medicine was one of the lowest points in my life. Though I still played a significant role within my family, I grieved the loss of purpose I had felt from practicing medicine.

I got through this difficult time with the support of my wife Ethel Sloan, three daughters Theresa, Erica, and Kennedy, as well as our faithful dog, Boomer and cantankerous cat, Beans. Ethel and I also feel blessed to have amazing support from our extended families on both sides. All of them have helped me in their own way.

I have also been helped by the best medical team anywhere. My memory specialist told me that the same genetics associated with diminished memory can also, strangely, be found in people who excel creatively. I am living proof that as one door closes in life, another opens.

Though not yet a photographer, I began taking lots of pictures to remember special moments better. Before long it became much more than a memory aid.

Photography is technically stimulating, which exercises the brain, and this is known to improve brain function. It also gets me outside every day which helps me mentally and physically. I’m always exploring new places and subject matter for photography. Best of all, photography revealed creativity I never knew I had.

My family encouraged me to share my photography with more folks, which led to this website, and My wife, Ethel, formed a company in case anyone wanted to buy them.

So this has been my journey, one filled with enriching life experiences and a never ending quest for purpose and fulfillment. I regret times when I allowed my Faith to waver, but they will always remind me of the cross-stitch my mother made for me of the poem, “Footprints in the Sand”.

My hope is that there will be an image in my collection that inspires a connection with you. If so, we can talk about lots of ways that image can be presented for your needs.

Billy Cone

"Le Maître"

Medium:

Framing:

Artist's Description:

$15,000.00