LAKE COUNTY ‘AMBASSADOR’ RON KEAS SHARES LIFE’S WORK
LAKE COUNTY >> For nearly 20 years Ron Keas has captured the fauna, flora and folks of Lake County through his lens and his paintbrush.
“I have gone through my library of photographs and panoramas, selecting the ones that have been the most popular … With these photographs I created a slideshow/screensaver that lasts 30 minutes and contains 250 photographs and panoramas,” Keas said. He is sharing the compilation free-ofcharge as a gift.
Keas fell in love with art when he was a child. As a young man he was trained as a photographer at the Naval School of Photography in Pensacola Fla. He then served three years as a combat photographer in Vietnam.
Keas is also nationally known for his oil paintings.
“They have been shown at political conventions, the Diversity Calendar for President Obama’s Inauguration, on the front page of the New York Times, magazines, newspapers, books including “Art for Marilyn,” “Princess Diana in Art,” “Art for Obama” and The Huffington Post,” Keas said.
He said his paintings have been shown on TV shows including the Tonight show with Jay Leno, the Conan O’Brien show, and NBC Today Show.
“My historic oil portraits hang in mansions in Illinois, including an oil portrait of President Lincoln that is in the Ayers Mansion where President Lincoln often visited,” Keas added.
Keas is an 18-year resident of Lake County, where he’s enjoyed photographing the beauty contained in nature around Clear Lake.
His Lake County photographs are displayed in hospitals, county buildings, businesses and homes.
In 2008, Keas earned the Stars of Lake County award for professional arts, and
the Stars award “Best New Idea of the Year,” — a short screensaver of Lake County photographs.
In 2017 he was honored with the inaugural Senior Summit Inspirational Senior award.
“I have always felt like an ambassador by showing the world the beauty of Lake County with my photography and paintings.
Keas’ webtracker shows people from more than 30 countries have visited his website, http://www. ronkeas.com to view his album of Lake County photography.
“After 18 years of traveling around the lake taking photos of vineyards, events, sunsets and the lake, I am now concentrating on painting oil portraits,” Keas said.
His gift of art can be viewed on computers as a slideshow by clicking an icon, and it can also be installed as a screensaver. It features “sunrises, sunsets, special events, views of the lake, animals, birds and everything that makes Lake County the wonderful place it is. It also contains some of my Pomo Indian oil paintings,” Keas said.
Keas thinks the time is right to reflect on and appreciate beauty.
“I know the people in Lake County are suffering from anxiety over COVID infections and that travel around the lake has been minimal for many. It is my hope that my slideshow/screensaver will brighten their days. I have been told by patients at Sutter Lakeside Hospital my photographs on the hospital walls have brightened their spirits and reminded them of how lucky they are to live in such a beautiful location,” Keas said.
It was his original intent to market the presentation, but he decided he wanted everyone in Lake County who wants to have it — should.
“So I am offering the download for free to everyone. It will be my legacy. Instructions for downloading and viewing it are included on my webpage.”