In Memoriam: Trustee Emeritus John Taylor “Ike” Williams
The Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Trustee Emeritus, John Taylor “Ike” Williams—literary agent, lawyer, author, friend, and past Chair of the Board of FAWC. We extend our condolences to Mr. Williams’ family and friends.
FAWC Board President Lynne Kortenhaus shared, “Ike was instrumental in mentoring our young writers in his capacity as a prominent literary attorney. He was an elegant man in both stature and in spirit. He was a forward looking individual, with an eye toward how best to nurture our writers and artists in this community. When he was ready to step down after his many years of service as chair of the board, I will never forget his ask of me to step in. I will forever be grateful to him for giving me that opportunity and for his love of FAWC.”
Williams married into Cape Cod’s art world and spent decades interviewing the members of its visionary community. Williams’ book, The Shores of Bohemia: A Cape Cod Story 1910-1960 (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2022) is an intimate portrait of a legendary generation of artists, writers, activists, and dreamers who created a utopia on the shores of Cape Cod during the first half of the twentieth century. In writing about the book for The Provincetown Independent, author Nicholas Delbanco shared, “His book is filled with anecdote and detail, both clear-eyed and nostalgic, and anyone who reads it will likely share that yearning for a place still present and a time gone by.”
A founder of the literary agency Kneerim & Williams, Williams was a lawyer specializing in intellectual property and first amendment litigation. His practice emphasized the creation, production, and licensing of intellectual property, particularly in publishing, film, television, music, and new media. In addition to his service as a Trustee of the Fine Arts Work Center, he also served as chair of the National Endowment for the Arts awards panel and as a Trustee of the Institute of Contemporary Art and The Huntington Theatre, among other positions.
John Taylor Williams passed away on December 26, 2024.
