Ron Hicks was born in 1965 in Ohio, and lives and paints in Denver, Colorado. He is best known for his figures and interiors and his work has been described as a blend of representational art and impressionism. Art critics have compared his painting to those by Rembrandt and Daumier. His greatest influences are Sargent, Degas and Velasquez. Ron uses a muted palette and rarely uses pure color. He particularly favors gray as it allows him to “capture atmosphere, mood, and layers of emotion.” His painterly style is immediately recognizable and a favorite of collectors around the country.

Ron graduated from the Colorado Institute of Art and studied at the Art Students League under Quang Ho before he began teaching. His works have been the subject of many publications, including Southwest Art (4 articles since 2000; Artist to Watch 1998), International Artist (Sept 2001, “7 Foundational Truths of Traditional Academic Painting” by C.W. Mundy), American Artist (December 2001, Feature Artist), Art & Antiques (May 2000, “Emerging Artist-Ron Hicks”), Denver Post (Oct 1998), Art Talk (February 2000; October 1998), and Westword (June 1994, “Seeing is Believing”).

Quang Ho was born on April 30, 1963, in Hue, Vietnam. He Immigrated to the United States in 1975 and is now a U.S. Citizen. His artistic interest began at the early age of three and continued through grade school, high school, art school and led him to a very exciting and successful painting profession. In 1980, at the age of 16, Quang held his first one-man-show at Tomorrows Masters Gallery in Denver Colorado. In 1982, Quang’s mother was killed in a tragic auto accident, leaving him the responsibility of raising four younger brothers and a six-year-old sister. That same year, Quang attended the Colorado Institute of Art on a National Scholastics Art Awards Scholarship. At CIA Quang studied painting under Rene Bruhin, whom Quang credits with developing the foundation for his artistic understanding. Ho graduated from CIA in 1985 with Best Portfolio Award for the graduating class.

Ho started his career in the art world as a highly successful freelance illustrator from 1985-1990. Ho’s illustration works have been featured in the Illustrators Annual and exhibited at the Museum of American Illustrations, and the Communication Arts Illustrations Annual during those years.

His passion, however, was oil paintings and he found time to pursue those paintings alongside of the illustrations. Those works were noticed by Saks Gallery in Denver and Ho was invited to hold his first solo show. The exhibit was a sold-out success, and he went on to have many sell out shows the following years in Denver, Houston, San Francisco and London. Working mostly in oils and occasionally watercolor and pastels, Ho’s subject matter ranges from still-life, landscapes, interiors, and dancers, to figuratives. “Subject matter is not really important to me. I can find visual excitement all around me as well as on the canvas – from a knot on a tree, graceful limp of a flower wilting, to a juxtaposition of a few simple shapes and colors…inspirations are inexhaustible.”

Ho is much sought after to give lectures and workshops around the world. He has produced a number of teaching DVDs and is currently working on a book of his philosophy and work.

Education: Colorado Institute of Art; Rene Bruhin.

Teaching: Art Students League of Denver; numerous workshops in the US and Europe.

Awards and Honors: Master Signature grand prize award, Impressionist Painters of America, 2012; Main Speaker, Portrait Society of America, 2012; “30 Stars of 30 Years,” Southwest Art, 2001; Third Annual Realism Invitational, 2001; Best of Show, Colorado Governor’s Show, 2000; Artist Choice Award, Denver Rotary Club, Artists of America Show; Master Signature grand prize award, Oil Painters of America Show, Taos.

Publications: The Artist’s Bluebook by AskArt.com, 2001; Featured Artist, Southwest Art, 2001; Art of the West Guidebook of Western Artists, 2001; Art of the West, 2001; Southwest Art, 2000;

Selected Exhibitions: Great American Artists, Cincinnati, OH; Artists of America, Denver, CO; Colorado Governor’s Invitational, Denver, CO; Northwest Rendezvous of Art, Helena, MT; International Masters of Fine Art, Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, TX; Jack Meir Gallery, Houston, TX; Saks Gallery, Denver, CO;

Representation: Gallery 1261; Claggett/Rey Gallery