Art Exhibit: Drawn to Nature

Sonoma County artist, Ron Sumner, presents Drawn to Nature, a collection of watercolor paintings celebrating the diverse character and nature of birds. Sumner is fascinated by animal subjects and relishes the challenge of capturing the unique character and personality of each animal, whether wild or domestic. Carefully studying the bone structure, coloration, texture of fur or feathers, he produces works that bring life to the subject. This collection focuses on our feathered friends and features an owl whose eyes seem to drill into the viewer’s soul. The pair of birds in “Common Tern” seem to dance in the sky. The artist’s forays into nature provide him with continual inspiration. “Who wouldn’t be fascinated with watching the birds in our beautiful open spaces?” noted Sumner. A lifelong Northern Californian, Sumner began his art training in high school. He earned a BFA from the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. He was a technical illustrator for a number of years before becoming a full-time fine arts painter. An award-winning artist, his portrait of John F. Kennedy is part of the permanent collection of the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. He has exhibited widely and his awards include Best of Show at the Society of Western Artists and his painting, “Red Tail Hawk” was selected for Splash 15, Best of Watercolor.