When I was a freshman in college, an artist visited our campus for a few days, painting in the open air at our student center. It was amazing to watch him coat a canvas in paint, then use a variety of brushes, painting and palette knives, and I don’t know what else to rapidly create a still-life, usually a little bit of swamp, a little bit of flora…
My then-boyfriend surprised me with one of the paintings that Christmas. All I knew was the artist’s first name, Ron, and that he called his painting/performance “RonArt.” On a whim, I did a Google search and actually found another artist, Gill Pollard, who’d put this photo of Ron (Edwards) on his site.
Never mind how many years this takes me back, although the onlookers’ hairstyles should be a clue. I wonder whatever happened to Ron.
ETA 10/17/22: This is a photo of the painting my then-boyfriend gave me. It still hangs in my house today.
That makes me think of the guy who used to be on PBS with the big ‘fro who could paint a picture in 30 minutes using a 4″ brush and a putty knife, and made it look so easy. I know if I tried to do that, it wouldn’t look like much.
thats pretty cool!
I remember that guy visited our campus a couple of times. I wish I had one of his paintings. They were pretty funky. I can’t find any on eBay. I can’t find anything about Ron either for that matter.
I think I saw your message a few years ago. I’m surprised no one else is curious about RonArt!
I’m glad somebody else remembers him!
Here’s one of his works.
/Users/jameskoch/Desktop/IMG_5977.jpg
I can’t see the image. =(
I was a freshman college student in 1973 and have a picture Ron did. I also wondered what happened to him and researched him to no avail. Hopefully this image will upload:
Hi, Debbie–I think my site won’t allow photos in comments, so I used your URL and am putting it here. Thanks for sending the link! I just added my own painting to my post, and they are so similar! Here is yours:
I met Ron of RonArt fame in the early 70s when he visited Emory University for a week. I bought two of his paintings which I’ve lost track of over the course of my travels over the years. I also wonder what happened to him.
Maybe one day, someone will know and tell us! Thanks for adding to the story. =)
I had a few of his paintings, and helped him one time in Mississippi at a local flea market. I had lost two of them, but had one left and now it’s gone due to the ravage fire this year in Northern California. I googled him and found this, if anyone knows where or how to get any of his paintings, I would be forever grateful. He was amazing to watch paint 🙂
That’s terrible. I’m so sorry you were affected by CA fires. So much loss to so many people, as well as vegetation and animals. I really, really hope some day you can find more of his paintings. Periodically, I search the web for him again without any luck.
I remember him from James Madison University in the late 70’s. I wish I still had it!
I’m not sure if I ever put a photo of mine on here. It’s hanging in the house I live in today–so many decades later! Putting it here and will add it to the post, too. One day, someone may give us more info on him!