Ron Hurst©, Artist
Personal Information: 1943 born and raised in Jackson, MI, USA . 1972 moved to Switzerland. 1997, after career stints in real estate, gastronomy, and aviation, turned to full time painting. Married, three grown children from first marriage. Eight grand children. Lives and paints in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland.
Education: 1966 BA (Bachelor of Arts) von Michigan State University, USA. 1967 Officer Candidate School, US Army, Engineer Corps. From 1997 various courses at the Zürich College of the Arts (ZHdK-Züricher Hochschule der Künste), Zürich, Switzerland, as well as courses at the Naples Art Association, Naples, Florida, USA. Workshops with Andrew Ward, Serge Pinkus, Jürg Attinger, Verena Eigenmann, Genie Kell, Tammra Sigler Johnathan Green, Robert Burridge and JoAnn Lizio.
Exhibited:
09/2005 Atélier Kunsthalle, Jona, Schweiz. Portrait-Projekt Open Studio.
02/2006 Von Liebig Art Center, Naples, Florida, USA. Juried member’s gallery exhibition
02/2007 Von Liebig Art Center, Naples, Florida, USA. Juried member’s gallery exhibition.
11/2007 Atélier Kunsthalle, Jona, Schweiz. Hommage-Projekt Open Studio.
05/2009 Art Show Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
10/2009 Cube-P, Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland
12/2009 AktivArte, Männedorf, Switzerland
Artist’s Motivation: I believe that my painting is the continuation of discovery of self in relation to others and my environment (lives/lifes, still and otherwise).
Subjects/ Style: I paint primarily in oil and acrylic. All subjects that interest me at the moment become themes for my work which often falls into the catagory of “beautiful pictures of ugly stuff”. I paint portraits, Landscapes and socially critical pieces.
Favorite Quote: As an “old” pilot of Airplanes and Hang Gliders, I find inspiration and encouragement from the following quotes from the book “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach:
"The trick, was for Jonathan to stop seeing himself as trapped inside a limited body that had a forty-two-inch wingspan and performance that could be plotted on chart. The trick was to know that his true nature lived, as perfect as an unwritten number, everywhere at once across space and time."
"The trick is that we are trying to overcome our limitations in order, patiently. We don't tackle flying through rock until a little latter in the program."
"Don't believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you'll see the way to fly."