Artwork copyright Ron Hinson. Photo courtesy of the artist.

St. George and the Dragon, 1988

Ron Hinson
(American, born 1934, died 2019)

Location: Artz-Fox Elementary School, Mabton

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

St. George and the Dragon is an example of the late artist Ron Hinson's three-dimensional paintings that explore color relationships, texture, surface, and form. The title and imagery in this artwork reference a myth that was represented in art of the European Renaissance (1400-1700). Hinson noted "Unlike most versions, this one is meant to convey a playful feeling and could be thought of as a parody of heroic conflict... One should notice the jaunty movements of the shapes... [and] the contrast of the light and bright colors of the left hand shapes as compared with the darker and more somber right hand colors."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Mabton School District.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Olympia, Washington-based artist and teacher Ron Hinson (1934-2019) created abstract, three-dimensional, painted constructions. He explains that "it is a painting because colors, shapes and drawing with the brush are of greater importance than is the three-dimensional component."

Born and raised in Ohio, Hinson graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He worked in advertising in New York City before moving to the Pacific Northwest. He taught at South Puget Sound Community College and The Evergreen State College, both in Olympia, Western Washington.