Artists

Poet and Voice over artist.

I am a disabled veteran that served from 1972 to 1980 in the US Army. I have a PhD in Environmental Science but my true passion is photography. I am a natural environment and post modern industrial photographer, based out of Eastern Nebraska. My passion is to document the natural beauty of our surroundings intermixed with the harshness of a post modern industrial society. My style is minimalist with a touch of anthropogenic patterns.

Sacramento born but well traveled, living a creative life has been my focus. Besides creating art I am an avid fly fisherman, father, grandfather and proud veteran.

Dana Garrett was given his first camera at the age of seven after watching his dad

GE Sommerfeld

I am retired from our County as the Director of Emergency Management. I am a Veteran who began to paint just about a year ago without any formal art training.

Ruth comes from a very artistic family and fell in love with oil painting at 12 years old. She continued to take every art class possible throughout high school and early college. Eventually continuing on to the Art Institute of Colorado to pursue a degree in Interior Design. Many of these classes overlapped to improve art as well, including technical perspectives, rendering, and architectural drawing, line weights, color theory, and color psychology. At 23, she escaped a domestically violent relationship by joining the military and served in the U.S. Army as a Truck Driver (88M) attached to an infantry battalion for 6 years. With an injury sustained during training, Ruth was forced to medically retire from the armed services and worked as a Firearms Instructor and Range Safety Officer while pursuing a degree in Marriage and Family Studies with an emphasis on Child Advocacy. In April of 2023 Ruth took a leap-of-faith to pursue art professionally. In August the same year she entered her first major art competition and placed 1st in Oil Painting as well as the People’s Choice Award at the Cheyenne/Northern Colorado Regional 2023 VA Creative Arts Competition. In September she seized the opportunity to attend a workshop by artist Dallan Lambson to further improve her skills. She is currently based in Colorado and paints full-time while raising 2 kids as a single mother. She loves nature and can frequently be found in the mountains, especially during summer. Her art is recognized through copious amounts of detail and vibrant colors. She does commission work as well as freelance.

"I try to capture and share the 'Awe' of a place." Working from several photos he's taken, as well as sketches, Michael combines elements of the area to create a composition that invites the viewer to step in and explore. Starting with a general idea, and keeping with the feeling. It is fun to watch the painting develop. Putting in just enough detail so the viewers imagination fills in the rest.

Although a native of San Diego, CA , Don and his wife have lived in Gallatin, TN for the past 24 years. He has more than 30 years of professional experience as an award-winning illustrator, photographer, digital and watercolor painter. Olea has been an artist all his life, starting with simple pencil drawings as a child, then charcoals and pen and ink. His grandfather gave him his first camera when he was a sophomore in high school in 1979 and that began his love of capturing the world around him on film. As the computer age ushered in a new era of graphic designers and digital photography, Olea gravitated toward commercial art and advertising design as well as newspaper and magazine design. Working as a commercial artist he was able to take advantage of both his drawing and photography skills. Olea spent 10+ years as a photographer and graphic designer for sister publications: Billboard Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter and Amusement Business Magazine in Nashville and Los Angeles. The music, entertainment, and sports industries have always been among his favorite subjects to paint or draw. However, in an effort to expand his subject matter, he turned his attention to depicting historical military art. Olea has been inspired through his watercolor and digital paintings, to honor and tell the story of those who came before him serving with honor and distinction. Men such as his grandfather, Virgil Clark, who was a SSGT with the 2nd Marines, 1939-45 and his brother, Bernie, who was a SGT with the 502nd/101st Airborne, 1941-45. As an Airborne Infantry veteran who, coincidentally, also served with the 502nd in Berlin, 1984-86, Olea’s creative work is a labor of love. His realism style serves the historical military art genre well and helps to tell their story to fellow veterans, family members and enthusiasts. As a proud veteran and artist, Don Olea will not let the flame of patriotism vanquish. AWARDS 1994, ADDY Award, Photography, Reno, NV June, 2019 — 1st Place in PIXARRA’S “Wildlife” Digital Art Competition June, 2020 — 1st Place in PIXARRA’S “City” Digital Art Competition November, 2020 — 1st Place in PIXARRA’S “Sunset/Sunrise” Digital Art Competition January, 2022 — 1st Place in PIXARRA’S “Emotions” Digital Art Competition August, 2024 — Best of Show, DAC Juried Art Expo, Water Media, "Merry Christmas, Mom, from The Ardennes Forrest, 1944" August, 2024 — 1st Place, DAC Juried Art Expo, Water Media, "Top It Off" August, 2024 — 2nd Place, DAC Juried Art Expo, Water Media, “Heavy Metal” September, 2024, 3rd Place, Best in Show, MCVC Veterans Art Showcase, Water Media, "A Short Interlude"

I am a professional artist living in Tennessee next to the Tennessee River. My paintings are mostly taken from where I live. To learn more about me, please visit my website or look me up on Facebook or Instagram.

Aaron JH is an illustrator and storyteller with a focus on graphic novels and sequential art. His work explores themes of psychological depth, cosmic horror, and existential tension, often drawing from lived experience, philosophical inquiry, and visual storytelling traditions.\nWhether working in ink, digital media, or mixed traditional techniques, Aaron JH approaches illustration as a vehicle for emotional resonance and philosophical reflection.

I started painting in High school. I grew up in a family of duck hunter guides. I started drawing the ducks coming into decoys on my school folders. Then I had the idea of making a duck stamp. Then after several paintings, I found out they only submitted watercolors. I always figure that my art work was a gift from God. Art helped me heal after Vietnam, probably why God gifted me. I worked as an engineer most of my working years. But always used art to bring me down to earth again. It was my medicine. Lately been doing contract paints of people’s favorite photos. I loved doing it for the joy it provided. I also kept me expanding my abilities to paint. I hope you enjoy my work. Know that an old sailor is doing better because of it. God Bless you. And God Bless United States of America. I WILL DONATE 10% TO MACV (homeless Vet) THAT THIS ARTIST RECEIVES. MY ART WILL DO GOOD IN A BROKEN WORLD.

I started doing art as an outlet therapy and then it has taken a life of its own. I enjoy painting. But my passion is wood burning.

Artist Biography

Started out as art therapy and turned into a passion.

Husband for forty-seven wonderful years, father, grandfather, retired, one hundred% Service Connected, US Army Infantry Scout/Patrol Dog Handler. Served in Vietnam with the 34th IPSD, 3rd Bde, 1st Cav on and around Bien Hoa Base Camp, from Jan to APR '72. Injured on patrol. Honorably discharged on June20, 1972. Learned Computer Electronics at Sylvania Technical School and turned that into a career in Field Service - just autonomous enough to keep me from strangling folks. ? In 1977 I met an Angel who decided to keep me. Donna is why I'm still here and I intend to stick around for some time yet. When I retired in 2013, I decided to revisit my passion for picture taking. I attended Photography classes at Las Positas College, right here in Livermore, CA. Now I make images seriously for fun. And I sell them too - visit my website. I also write and have just published my memoirs - R.E.M.F. - Shorty's Path.

When I see things that give me ideas I then develop them into something I feel inside of me… best I can describe it…

Most of my art is for sale please visit my varied social media sites or reach me through my EMAIL rymerpt63@gmail.com

Michael E. Ramos is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. During his time in service, he fulfilled his duties as an Electrical Equipment Repair Specialist (MOS 1142). Around the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Michael became more active in arts and crafts while helping his children with homeschooling. As an amateur artist, his artwork normally takes the form of painting, penciling, wreath-making, or dioramas. Moreover, his political activism on occasion influences his artwork. Michael currently resides with his wife and children in Melbourne, Australia. \nHe is a member of the Marine Corps League (Detachment 607), The American Legion (Post AU01), AMVETS (Post 145), the VFW Auxiliary (Post 8890), American Latino Veterans Association, Mexican American Veterans Association (Chapter 4), and a volunteer with Blue Star Families, Secure Families Initiative, and more. Michael is a service-connected disabled veteran recognized through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and is currently a veteran service officer-in-training.

I have been painting for 70 years. I am a retired professional engineer and I have earned a PhD from Mizzou. I worked for Black & Veatch for 33 years. I was the Chief Structural Engineer on a Power Plant in ND and Chief Engineer on a Power Plant in FL. I have completed over 350 paintings and have given away 250.

Bill Cameron studied art in college in the 60’s but was commissioned in the Army when he graduated. Art became less a priority as he deployed to Vietnam in 1969. Bill’s Army career led him to command at the company, battalion and brigade levels. He served in Desert Storm and his last assignment was as the commander of the Electronic Proving Ground. His passion was always taking care of soldiers. In retirement he started to draw again. He started with colored pencils but quickly changed to pastels. He is a traditional realist and loves to draw wildlife and portraits. He is a member of the Lufkin Texas Art Guild and sells originals and giclee prints of his work.

I am a veteran of the US Army and 100% VA disabled. I served mostly with the 101st Airborne Division (AA), starting out enlisted as a Chinook helicopter repairman/platoon SGT and then flew Blackhawks as a CW2 aviator/safety officer. I served in Desert Shield/Storm and several worldwide locations. I now spend my time using art as therapy to normalize myself into the civilian world. I'm also trying to learn music with a variety of instruments, it isn't pretty.\nI have had the honor of being married to my soulmate for 29 years and have 7 rescue cats that we share our home with. When not taking care of cats, we can be seen doing CrossFit and Boot Camp at our favorite gym in the Pacific Northwest.