Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron Saunders.
Ron, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Like many, I started drawing when I was young – trucks, cartoon characters, airplanes, superheroes. This proclivity was encouraged by my grandfather who was a carpenter and an artist in his own right. When I was young, I also found myself playing games of accuracy. One of my favorite activities during this time was to throw a ball on the roof and try to catch it in the same spot every time. It is no surprise these activities, mark making and games, underpin my work and are reflected in its form. Additionally, my work has been influenced by the variety of places I have lived. I was born in West Virginia and later lived in both Texas and Ohio.
After obtaining my MFA in Painting and Drawing, I spent time in Los Angeles, followed by New York and Seoul, South Korea. I am pretty sure that the juxtaposition of the wide-open spaces of my childhood in contrast to the mega cities around the world has only added to my desire to try new things. This has ultimately influenced my practice where I tend to favor new materials and unique processes rather than recreate one visual theme or motif. Finally, my current home here in Atlanta turns out to be a nice balance of all the places I have lived. I continue to make and show my art as well as teach at SCAD, Atlanta.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My work is not representational in the traditional sense, but does serve as a mirror to express the relationship I have between nature and the physicality of the paint I use on flat surfaces and three-dimensional forms. During my MFA at Ohio University, I started to play with creating simple machines that would complete my painting for me. This was followed by experimenting with freezing paint and other hands-off processes. These techniques still influence my work today and my current paintings reflect numerous types of marks creating colorful playful images. Ultimately, what brings me the most joy is presenting viewers with art that has elements of surprise resulting from the experiments I conduct in the studio. The result is often art work that engages viewers to ask questions about how it was made or discussions around what it visually means for them.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I think being involved in the creative arts has always included some kind of struggle. For many, the primary challenge is maintaining financial stability and living in a state that does not prioritize art funding. As a result, many artists are driven to think more commercially to survive rather than explore challenging work that pushes the dialogue of contemporary art. This situation is clearly the result of the political landscape of the state. However, there is always room for improvement- Atlanta just dedicated more funds to the arts.
With any luck, the rest of the state will follow. Artists have always played a role in commenting on society, so I don’t think our current task is any different. Although my work is not political by nature, I am of course impacted by both national and international happenings and am aware that the larger world impacts what I think and make. I do think the fact I have participated in a number of international artist residencies has given me more perspective and appreciation for life outside the United States.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I primarily show in galleries and museums from Atlanta to Finland. Interestingly, some of my work is temporary, and perhaps will not be seen again except through photo documentation. I have had this temporary performative or installation-based art funded through NYSCA and NYFA grants when I lived in New York. Grants like these were really important to create projects that engaged the community through interactive activities. I have also had the honor to be invited to a number of national and international artist residencies. Typically, a residency provides artists with a space to create for an extended time, often something we lack. Here you can hear me speaking about my recent artist residency in Finland on City Lights https://www.wabe.org/episode/city-lights-dancing-handkerchief-ron-saunders/.
I think one of the most interesting grants I received was actually from a Time Bank organization in California. Here rather than a monetary support, I received “time credits” that I could use to pay volunteers. They in turn could use those time credits among Time Bank members to purchase other items or services. All together is was a pretty cool alternative currency opportunity. My work can be seen at both my Webpage www.ronlsaunders.com and my Instagram account @ronsaunders
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ronlsaunders.com
- Email: ronnielsaunders@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronsaunders/?hl=en
Image Credit:
Ron Saunders Fine Art
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