Ronald Pratt Watercolors

Ronald Pratt was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan where the change of seasons had a dramatic influence on his perception of light and color and how these two elements can affect the mood of a particular scene. It is the capturing of a particular mood through the careful handling of light and color that he pursues in his watercolor paintings. Before he begins each painting, the mood or feeling is established along with the specific lighting and color palette that will best convey that sense. Only after this is decided will the design and composition be determined. This approach assures that each painting will have a strong feeling conveyed by the play of light and color on the scene.

While attending the University of Michigan and majoring in architectural design, Ronald’s education was interrupted by a five year military tour that included duty and travel in Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, The Philippines, Sicily, Italy and much of Europe. After completing his military tour, he completed his education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. The next ten years were spent as a practicing architect as both a designer and construction administrator. As a practicing architect, watercolor became his favorite medium for renderings and presentations. It was during this time that he learned watercolor painting was his true love. It was also during this time that his wife, Patty says he learned what a “mid life crises” was all about. In 1991, Ronald became a full time watercolor painter and instructor.

As an associate member of the National Watercolor Society, California Watercolor Association and a number of local art groups, Ronald has had award-winning paintings shown both locally and throughout California. His paintings are included in private collections in England, Ireland, France, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada as well as throughout the United States.

Ronald says he is a painter who tries to express in his work the amazing beauty and fascination of life. His subject matter varies from dynamic seascapes to peaceful landscapes, from still life’s to surreal abstracts, from florals to the human figure. He states: “the more I paint the more fascinated I become with life.”