Bastrop Fine Arts Guild

Ed moved to the Bastrop area in December 2005 from Beaumont-Port Arthur. Ed’s paintings are primarily landscapes that he prefers to do in oils. He generally works in his studio, using photographs of places either he or friends have been. After trips to Yosemite Park he became fascinated with the works of 19^th century artists Thomas Moran and William Keith and how each used light and composition to make their canvases come to life. Having American artist Thomas Eakins (1841 – 1916) as his great-great-great uncle served as inspiration for him to study Eakins’s works and reinforced his interest in 19^th century painters.

Prior to moving to Texas, Ed lived in Hawaii for 17 years and before that in southern California. It was in Hawaii, with its lush mountains and beautiful beaches that he became motivated to paint landscapes. To this day mountains and seascapes appear in many of his works. When traveling he is an avid photographer, always looking for subjects to paint when he returns to his studio. He has a wealth of photos from trips to Europe, Florida, Alaska, Canada and California as well as Hawaii and the upper mid-west. However, he has found that none of these places have the beautiful sunsets and sunrises to be found in Texas.  These have been be the inspiration for many of his works.

Ed lived in Beaumont from 1987 until 2005. While in Beaumont, he studied under Texas landscape artist James Black. From James he learned the techniques and style used by Texas artist A.D. Greer and also got an appreciation for the beauty, the color and variety of the Texas Hill Country.