William R. Stanek. The Black and White Collection #1

Seattle-based Photographer and Artist, William R. Stanek, a combat veteran who supports other veterans, is also a vocal champion of books and libraries. Not only an artist, he wrote nonfiction for over three decades as William Stanek and fiction as Robert Stanek. Connecting to his French/Scandinavian roots in his work is important to William. His grandfather on his mother's side was a Beauchamp (Bo-shom) from Montreal Quebec in a long line of Beauchamps from Quebec who immigrated to Canada from Basse-Normandie France in the early 1600s. In France, he has traced his family line back to the Beauchamps and Deschamps of the early 1400s and to the Normans who conquered Britain in the mid 1000s, who in turn were descended from the Vikings of Scandinavia. His grandmother on his mother's side was a Trolle (trahl-eh) in a long line of Trolles who immigrated to the United States in the late 1700s and early 1800s from Scandinavia. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden, William has traced the Trolle line back to the 1300s and to the founding fathers of Denmark in the 1400s and 1500s. Trolleholm Castle is Scania Sweden is named for his ancestors and has been owned by a Trolle since the 1700s.