BILLY DEE WILLIAMS grew up in Harlem with a family that actively encouraged his artistic abilities and fostered an enthusiasm for all forms of cultural expression. He began drawing at an early age and won scholarships to the National Academy of Fine Arts and Design in New York. Since 1991, he has had numerous solo art exhibitions across America, and has donated paintings to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC and The Schomburg Museum in New York.

ACME Studios is an international product design company founded in Los Angeles 1985. The success factor is the intensive cooperation with globally recognized architects, designers, artists, foundations, estates and institutions. In 1997, ACME released their first collection of fine writing tools.