Don Vernon

Description	:	Artist Bio: Versatility has always been a hallmark Don Vernon's long career as graphic designer, illustrator and painter of wildlife, portraits and western art. Oh, and there's the cartoons and caricatures as well. Being willing and able to adapt as the situation demands insured that there was always something on the drawing board, and a new challenge to meet. A look through his web site: www.DonVernonGallery.com will quickly attest to that. The small northern Oklahoma school system he attended had no place or interest in the visual arts, so there was no introduction to that world until a chance meeting while serving in the US Army opened the world of possibilities to a career as an artist. After completing his formal education with a MA in painting, a short period as instructor at the Mo. State University, Warrensburg, Mo. gave way to work with advertising agencies and design studios.Moving the family (son, Rion and wife Sam) to Los Angeles in the late 70's began a long career of free lance and art director positions which included work for clients as varied as Universal Studios, the LA Dodgers and Mattel Toys. In spare moments during these years, a canvas was usually in progress in the home studio. The lore and legends of the American west provided subject matter for these works, and soon his work was being shown in local galleries and art shows. He is still being invited to the annual Cattlemen's Association annual show in Paso Robles after 14 years as a participant. Mostly retired now, he continues to paint and accept projects that sound interesting. An increasing dissatisfaction with the appalling corruption and mis-management of our nation's affairs, especially in foreign policy and the hugely disproportional division of wealth prompts him recently to speak out. Using the medium of paint on canvas and images from our country's history, he speaks the 'inconvenient truth' about the illusion of freedom in the U.S.A.