Central Illinois magician Mitch Williams has had magic in his life for as long as he can remember. In fact, some of his earliest memories of growing up in Farmington, Illinois are of his father performing simple magic tricks. As his fascination with magic grew, he began to teach himself how to perform magic by scouring the library for how-to information and started building his own props. Today, he is a full-time professional magician and a sleight-of-hand specialist. His love of the art of magic has taken him across the country and around the world where he has entertained thousands and earned numerous awards.
Mitch has a strong viewpoint of magic as an art form. He explains that, like other forms of art, magic starts with an inspiration or idea. He then creates mental images of ways to bring that idea out into the world. Ultimately, he brings the idea to life through performance with the goal of triggering “the whole gamut of positive emotional responses” from his audience. Mitch says, “It’s the same creative process that all artists go through when they create art.”
Mitch is a passionate supporter of the arts in all forms. He is a skilled painter and graphic artist, and also plays an active role as an arts advocate in Central Illinois. He has been working with ArtsPartners of Central Illinois to promote the arts, and is helping to coordinate activities related to National Arts and Humanities Month during October.
He also has a passion for teaching and integrates magic into his programs. Mitch presents a variety of educational and motivational programs, including “Make Your Life a Magical Work of Art” and “The Magic of Self Esteem.” He also teaches judo programs for children and adults and is occasionally involved in mentoring children with special needs.
When asked to name his favorite magician, he immediately responded, “Albert Einstein, because of the way he thought.” Einstein is noted for saying, “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.” And that pretty well sums up Mitch’s passion for the art and science of magic as a way to create mystery and beauty.
For more information about Mitch Williams’ Magic, visit his website at www.mitchwilliamsmagic.com or call (888) 801-3170.
Also, visit Craig Stocks’ blog for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Mitch’s photo, including a brief (17 seconds) video of flying cards and the game of “52 pickup.”
Playing Peoria 
Pingback: Playing Peoria – Looking Back and Ahead | Playing Peoria