Nate Ronniger

Utah artist Nate Ronninger

	PROMENADING PRIMARY FEATHERS, OIL, 20 x 58.

BORN: Salt Lake City, UT.

ART EDUCATION: Bachelor of fine arts from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City.

STYLE: Contemporary realism.

MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE WAY YOU WORK: “I begin as if I’m a set designer, choosing props, lighting, and making color choices. It is a complete artistic process before the painting even begins.” 

FIRST ART SALE: “I turned down $100 from my high school for a charcoal drawing because I thought I could get more for it. It’s still hanging in my parents’ house.”

SECOND-CHOICE CAREER: An astronaut or an inventor.

OTHER PASSIONS: Nachos.

QUIRKIEST TRAIT: Creating random ditties. “My latest was about a Maltese dog shopping for cheese.”

BIGGEST FEAR: Gila monsters.

FAVORITE STUDIO MUSIC: Talk radio.

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED: “‘How it begins is how it goes.’ It was said in regard to business relationships, but I found it applies to almost everything.”

PET PEEVE: Muddy colors.

FAVORITE ARTWORK BY ANOTHER ARTIST: Jacques-Louis David’s CONSECRATION OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON I AND CORONATION OF THE EMPRESS JOSEPHINE IN THE CATHEDRAL OF NOTRE DAME DE PARIS ON 2 DECEMBER 1804.

PRICE RANGE: $1,000 to $15,000.

NEXT BIG GOAL: Bigger paintings.

CREATIVE SPARK: “Looking at works of art, especially those that are better than mine.”

GALLERIES: Wally Workman Gallery, Austin, TX; www.nateronniger.com.