By Robin Yuran

Ron Sloan, who has been attacking canvas with colors sine 1965, has paintings in several museums.

During the month of March, the Norfolk Library is showcasing the artistic genius of Ron Sloan, who has been attacking the canvas with primary colors that are representative of his agonized view of the human condition since 1965. “I can feel the screams of everybody that have been hurt in this world,” says the Norfolk artist, who just received a grant from the Connecticut Commission of the Arts.
The faces in Sloan’s large works scream to the viewer from hellish backdrops where red is often prevalent, their expressions palpable with pain and passion. Smaller, calmer renderings are accompanied by snatches of poetry, which speak of love and loss.
The soft-spoken retired art teacher holds a curriculum vita the length of a novella. During his career he acquired three graduate degrees and fellowships and grants from the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, the National Endowment for the Arts. His most recent grant by the Connecticut Commission of the Arts was given for the second time. “I miss teaching so much,” he admits, “But I don’t miss the people in charge.”
Sloan now devotes himself full-time to painting. “It is the same as breathing,” he says. “It’s my life.”
His art reflects his life; images have such titles as “Sitting and Crying,” “Susan’s Father in a Nursing Home,” and “Jim, Combing His Hair on the Beach.”
A constant observer, he often picks up interesting objects during his daily walks which he later incorporates into his unique creations. “I am always affected by things around me,” he says, “whether it be a butterfly or nine-eleven.”
His work hangs in many permanent collections, including the Provincetown Museum in Cape Cod and the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury. He is currently represented by Beverly Kaye Gallery of Woodbridge, Connecticut. His work may also be viewed and purchased through his website: www.rawwork.com.
The opening reception for the artist will be held in the library on March 2 at 4 to 6 p.m.