© 2017 Bill Owens Photography

Bill Owens

A short biography about Bill and his work along with a visual timeline.

A Short Biography

Bill Owens was born in San Jose, CA September 25, 1938. Bill with his cameras is known as the foremost chronicler of Suburbia, made famous with the publication of his book by that name in 1972.

In 1983 after working several years as a photojournalist, publishing a series of books and producing two children Bill began his brewing career. He established Buffalo Bill’s, one of the nation’s first Brew Pubs which he operated until he sold it in 1994.

From 1993 to 1995 Bill published BEER the magazine. Moved by the spirits Bill went on to found The American Distilling Institute (ADI), the oldest and largest organization of small batch, independently owned distillers in the United States which he continues to lead and cultivate.

Astonishingly, all the while Bill has continued to make, exhibit and sell his photographs.

A Visual Timeline

1938

1939

El Cerrito, California, 1940

Family Partrait, Citrus Heights, California, 1945

My Brother and I, Citrus Heights, California, 1952

Graduation from Elementary School, 1952

Changing the Sprinklers, Citrus Heights, California, 1955

Citrus Heights, California, 1957

High School Clown on the Gymnastic Team, 1958

1957

Alliance France ID Card, 1960

Hitchhike Around the World, 1961

Peace Corps, 1961

Teaching Credential, Chico State, 1963

Photo Journalism, 1968

1971

Bill, Janet, Andrew and Eric Owens, 1972

“Our Kind of People”, 1975

Photography Baseball Cards by Mike Mandel, 1975

Publish “Working”, 1976

Documentary Photography, 1978

The Beginning of “Leisure”, 1979

Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale, 1985

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Cover of “How to Build a small Brewery”

Beer: The Magazine, 1993-1995

Reissue “Suburbia”, 1999

Digital Odyssey, 2000

Italy, 2001

Trip Across the USA, 2003

Art Opening, 2004

Distilling, 2004

“Leisure”, 2004

Bill at Work, 2005

Bill’s Home Office Staff Meeting with Amber Hasselbring, 2006

New York City, 2007

Bill Owens & Claudia Zanfi at Solo Show, Bristol, 2008

Amsterdam, 2009

Hayward, California, 2010