The artist, Ron Kiino, is a graduate of the University of Southern California with the degrees of Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Secondary Education with a minor in Art.  He has had a wonderfully diverse and interesting career that led him from teaching and coaching for fifteen years with the Los Angeles Unified School District to private enterprise.  An entrepreneur at heart, he successfully owned and operated several summer camp programs for children, established a retail sporting goods store and founded an apparel company that specialized in surf wear.

Upon moving to Portland to embrace “retirement”, he was finally able to enjoy one of his most cherished passions again…painting with acrylics. 

Ron, a Japanese-American, and his parents were interned in Topaz, Utah during World War II.  It was a pivotal experience that shaped him as a person and is responsible for many of the interests that he strives to share with others through his artwork.  Internment left him with a lasting appreciation for the beauty and grace of nature and for our freedom – a gift - that allows us to hike mountain trails, fish blue-green rivers, walk with our beloved dogs, watch the glorious change of seasons or sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” while cheering on our favorite teams.

Ron’s Samurai Series is a tribute to his heritage and to his mother who he credits for any artistic talent that he may possess.  His Fish Series is all about the love of his favorite pastime – a love that was introduced to him by his father and that Ron now shares with his son and grandson.  The Floral and Landscape Series represent the intangibles that we so often take for granted – living in the moment, enjoying the simple colors surrounding us every day, breathing in the fragrance of a favorite flower, experiencing the peace, harmony and inspiration that can be found in a lovely landscape. His Lab Series speaks for itself – what better way to immortalize a best friend?  In Ron’s case, he has two…Rogue, a black lab and Lucy, a golden lab.  Most days, Rogue and Lucy can be spotted “walking” Ron around their neighborhood.  His kids are convinced that his labs are more spoiled than they ever were!  And, perhaps, closest to Ron’s heart is the Baseball Series.  Not only is Ron a true baseball fan (he was a dedicated baseball coach for years too – coaching young teams with Rod Carew and Doug DeCinces), he was also an accomplished pitcher in his day.  Out of high school, he was recruited by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Baltimore Orioles, the New York Yankees, the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals, to name a few.  Instead, he pitched 3 complete games in five days in a tournament right after graduation and tore a ligament in his shoulder.  For the moment, pro-baseball was not an option.  So he accepted a scholarship to USC and played college ball – a decision made, in great part, because his parents wanted him to be the first one in the family to graduate from college.  Had he gone to the majors after high school, he would have been the first Japanese-American to ever play baseball in the major leagues.

Thank you for your support of the arts and for taking the time to enjoy these paintings and the shared experiences and memories that often connect complete strangers in a positive and enriching way.

Ron hopes that his "acrylic expressions" bring you the same delight that he has found in creating them.