[3] Atkinson, born in England, moved with his family to Oshawa, Ontario as a child because his father opened an English Drug Store in the town.

[5] In 1889, he travelled to Paris, France, to study at the Académie Julian[5] and took private lessons with several teachers, of whom the most important was Paul-Louis Delance.

From Pont-Aven, Atkinson wrote letters home, describing his experiences which were published in his hometown newspaper, The Vindicator.

The American artist Robert Henri, in Pont-Aven in September that year, noted that Atkinson had keyed his colour up to the highest pitch.

[4][9] In 2009, Joan Murray for the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in his hometown today remembered his work with an exhibition, William Atkinson, Gertrude Spurr Cutts, Florence McGillivray: Art and Identity in the Region of Durham.