Emrys Williams was born in Liverpool in 1958 and moved with his family to Colwyn Bay on the North Wales coast in 1969. He studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, London (1976-1980).

He  has exhibited widely in Britain and has shown in important group exhibitions including the 12th Liverpool John Moores Painting Exhibition (1982) where he was a prizewinner and the Serpentine Summer Show (1983). He has held three one man shows in London at the Benjamin Rhodes Gallery and has had major public touring shows.

His work is in many public collections such as the Arts Council of England, the Government Art Collection, the National Museum of Wales and the Metropolitan Museum , New York.