Bill Sanders

Sanders was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He received his early exposure and love of photography during his formative years. He earned a BFA, MA and MFA from Wayne State University (WSU). Sanders has received many awards for his outstanding photography. He is the recipient of the WSU Betty Jacob Grant, Michigan Foundation for the Arts Award, Photographer's Forum College Annual Award, Delta Sigma Theta Arts and Letters Award and the WSU Alumni Award.  He is currently Chair of the WCCCD Photography Department.

Sanders’ art is in the permanent collections of The Detroit Institute of Arts, African American Museum of Art, Los Angeles, Wayne State University, I.B.M. Inc., Cobo Hall Convention Center, Dr. Robert E. L. Perkins, Dr. Dexter Fields, Edsel and Shirley Woodson Reid and the estate of the late Photography collector Phenom - Sam Wagstaff among others. His art  has been exhibited for over 30 years at the, DIA Foundation in New York, The Detroit Institute of Arts, The University of Kentucky, Wayne State University, The Scarab Club, Dell Pryor Gallery, G. R. N’Namdi Gallery, Sherry Washington Gallery, the National Conference of Artists and  venues in the United States, Canada, and Germany.

Sanders spent 365 days from 2009 to 2010 visiting Detroit's fabled Belle Isle to capture through his precious lens, the essence of one of the world's greatest islands. Photographing Belle Isle was a daunting task, pleasure and monumental achievement for Sanders, he shot 4,000 images. He set his goals high and has rendered a body of work that is legendary. Sanders has stated "The Belle Isle Series is my ideal of a glorious American landscapes, seldom seen on the current market. In creating this series, I envisioned endless images set in land and water on Belle Isle. These photographs are moments of elegance and beauty, which this captivating island infuses in the viewer and visitor. I love nature & natural light and use them as my primary tools in creating my photography. I am grateful for this opportunity to share this monumental body of photography with new patrons and lovers of nature.” Frederick Law Olmstead, the Great American landscape architect of Belle Isle is looking from heaven in awe of one God’s supreme creations. 

Upon viewing the "Belle Isle Series", the art collector Dr. Dexter Fields said, "I must have them all! They are absolutely extraordinary."