Ron DiCianni
Although we never shared an official mentor-pupil relationship, Ron DiCianni has continued to be an endless source of encouragement and professional counsel throughout the years, and has symbolized my work in a uniquely personal way.
Growing up I had the privilege of knowing Ron and his family, and occasionally ran around with his son Grant, who went to the same school all the way through university. I was told by people who knew us both, “You could be the next Ron DiCianni!” I knew those would be big shoes to fill.
Ron gave my my first oil painting lesson at 16. I had painstakingly labored for an entire semester on a portrait for a class assignment, and managed to flawlessly render about three square inches of a pant leg. Ron clamped my canvas onto his professional easel, took a large bristle filbert brush soaked in turpentine and raw umber, and stained the entire canvas brown! He then proceeded to demonstrate how to paint, starting with the larger forms, and then putting in the details. It was a lesson I never forgot, and field color became a defining characteristic of my early studio practice. Incidentally, I received an A on the project.
A graduate of the American Academy of Art in Chicago in the 1970s, Ron went on to a successful career in commercial illustration. In time, Ron grew dissatisfied painting for money, and gave his gifts over to God. Ron's visionary Christian-themed devotional images have won a classic place in homes around the U.S. Ron has the happy lot of spreading virtue and devotion through his work, making biblical lessons come to life in a way that confirms his place as a legend in our time.
My
Mentors
Ed
Julian
Gary Fasen
Bill Utterback
Ron DiCianni
Jered Woznicki
Michael John Angel