JON CROCKER

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Jon Crocker grew up in Colorado, sketching and painting from childhood. He studied fine arts at Colorado State University, where his talent developed particularly in portrait and figurative studies. After college, he took advantage of a business opportunity to open an advertising agency in North Carolina. He eventually moved his advertising business back home to Colorado and the mountains of the Vail Valley. Jon’s successful career in advertising tapped his creative vein, but he always knew that fine art, specifically in watercolor painting, was his calling, passion and purpose. In 2008 Jon sold his agency to care for ailing family members and four years later, after long illnesses, his father, wife and daughter all passed. He was obviously devastated, but he began to sketch and paint. He dusted off his palette and brushes and his first finished painting was of his wife and daughter. The second was of his father. Jon found that his time spent painting was healing and spiritual. “I felt as though my hand was being guided. The soul of each person emerged as the washes touched the canvas.”

Drawing and painting helped bring Jon back to life. He started to travel and found himself in Ireland. He fell in love with the Irish people, history and landscape. Of the Irish he says, “Their faces are incredible studies in personality, and their strong will reflects a great attitude for life.” In his Irish travels, he met his new life partner and best friend, Gina. Together they have explored the country, played the golf courses and found endless reference for his paintings. His passion flourishes in the detail, color and soft light of the pristine Irish links, craggy coastlines and fascinating faces. His real passion is still in the portraits he creates. His innate ability to not only capture a person’s likeness, but also the essence of their character has led to many commissions.

Jon and Gina now divide their time between their new home and studio in the quintessential country village of Ballymore Eustace in Ireland and the mountains of Colorado. His paintings reflect his creative eye and personal connection to the people and places he visits and paints - they are his story, and he loves sharing both the stories and paintings with appreciative art lovers everywhere.

In the short few years since Jon has rediscovered his passion for painting, his achievements are very impressive. Jon’s award winning work is exhibited in Europe as well as in the United States, including
Northwest Watercolor Society 72nd Annual international open exhibition
2013 Western Watercolor Foundation Exhibition, Recipient of Merchant Award
2014 Palisade Colorado Peach Festival Art Show, Best of Show
Shows in: Sol Art Gallery, Dublin, Ireland; Lavelle Art Gallery, Clifden, Ireland; Glasthule Art Gallery, Ireland;
2017 Fall Art Source International Exhibition, Dublin, Ireland
Commissioned by the National Irish Yacht Club for portrait of Olympic Medalist Annalise Murphy.