Don Paul Kirk
Don was born and raised on a farm with eight brothers and sisters. He and his siblings raised cows, hogs and chickens on a 180-acre farm and were outdoors most of the day. Their parents took them to church three times a week. They went barefoot in the summer and didn’t have indoor plumbing until he was fourteen years old.
In the artist’s own words:
God gave me the gift of drawing. I could draw interesting scenes with accurate perspectives of farm life when I was six years old. I sketched pictures through grade school then in high school I began learning about how artists expressed feelings and moods in paintings.
After high school I left the farm and entered the industrial workforce. I got married to my wonderful wife, Jackie Kay, and we were blessed with four children and, fast forward, two sons in law, two daughters in law, and thirteen grandchildren! Blessed indeed!
Along the way I secured a college degree with some art related course learning. I really liked watercolor painting taught by James Werline a local southern Ohio college professor and very accomplished artist. Moving in the art direction my art was accepted by several local art galleries which offered original work and limited edition prints for sale. Years later, we moved out of the area and my art was no longer offered for sale in galleries.
After more than forty years in the industrial workforce, I retired. I have built a house, refurbished a 1953 Chevy truck, learned oil painting basics, stained glass techniques and knife making. Recently I have started utilizing acrylic as a medium to express my passion for moods and emotions in paintings.
