Derived From Nature

Ron has always had a great respect for nature and enjoys much of his life in the outdoors. In 1976, on an Outward Bound Adventure, the rock art he would see scattered in the canyons began to hold a special interest for him. Intrigued by the rock art’s beauty and mystery he began to formulate a way for everyone to appreciate this artwork in their own homes without destroying history by removing the carvings from nature.

He began to collect photographs of the petroglyphs from various regions he visited. He learned as much as he could about the interpretations of the ancient art. Ron began to construct a way he could transfer the images in his photographs onto stone with the same texture and look as if one had just found the carving in a canyon. His dream came to life when he finished his first pieces that had the look and texture of actual petroglyphs.

Since 1993, while working in his studio in Colorado, Ron allows each stone to express to him the true nature of its image. He carefully hand carves each piece in sandstone that has been put through an aging process to recreate the effects of “desert varnish”, the dark wash found in nature. Using all natural material, he creates replicas of some of the most well-known and the most obscure petroglyphs.

Ron began carving wild life in 1995. He uses the same care and attention to detail to crate amazing life like designs. His attention to detail becomes more apparent in the large wall panels which can actually seem to take you back in nature. When not carving, Ron enjoys spending his time in the outdoors, backpacking, camping and rafting always gaining inspiration for new carvings.