Ron was born and raised in Nebraska. The middle child in a family of eight, his earliest influences were watching his homesteader, grandmother making quilts and working with his grandfather stacking hay. The agrarian culture of hard work ethic, the vast space of the plains and the extreme weather conditions affected his perception of the landscape inspiring him to begin painting at an early age.

From 1968 to 1973 he studied art at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. After graduating from UNL he taught K thru 12th arts education at Omaha and Lincoln, working with children, teaching painting and collage. He attended graduate school at University of Tennessee at Knoxville then transferred to Ohio State University in Columbus where he received his MFA Degree.

Ron was Artist in Residence for the Ohio Arts Council in Appalachia in Southern Ohio, and worked with Amish children in Plain City, Ohio. He went on to teach painting and drawing at Ohio State University, and graduate programs at Florida State University in Tallahassee, and Syracuse University in New York.

Since 1984, Ron has been teaching Painting and Drawing at Cabrillo College in Aptos. California. He traveled extensively in Europe and the United States on two Sabbatical research leaves, studying the history and culture of art from cave paintings in France to contemporary art.

Ron’s work has been exhibited nationally, and he is a recipient of NEA Painting Fellowships and a Santa Cruz County Distinguished Artist Award. Ron and his wife Melodie reside in Corralitos , California.

   

Ron Milhoan