In a fast-paced busy world, Ronalee Crocker’s elegant interpretations of nature convey a sense of serenity, order, and beauty. Her acclaimed still life paintings are inspired by classical Dutch and French painters, though she has reworked this traditional idiom to create a style of her own.

Using luminous colors against a dark background, she showcases her subjects without added distractions. Deceptively simple compositions are carefully arranged for their abstract quality and sense of unity. She inspires the viewer with her personal version of nature in its most beautiful form. Her compositions of fruit and vegetables dare the viewer to reach out and touch the textured rind of a lemon or smell the air for a hint of orange.

“With oil paint, I render what nature dictates, soft or sharp transitions or edges, bright or subdued colors. My realism is not photographic but painterly and soft focused. In composing the setup, I look for the focal point or ‘Pavarotti’ of the piece. Everything else should take a step back in importance with some edges just disappearing. This lends a bit of mystery to the piece.”

Born in 1953 in Hingham, Massachusetts, Crocker grew up in an artistic family. Her grandfather, a skilled painter, was her first mentor. He encouraged her love of drawing and painting, which began with copying the comics from the Sunday paper. Graduating with a degree in Fine Art from Emmanuel College, Crocker continued her education at The School of The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She then traveled throughout Europe to study first-hand the art that inspired her.

Crocker has won numerous awards and honors for her work, including The Frank C. Wright Medal of Honor at the American Artists Professional League in New York, where she is a Fellow, Maxima Cum Laude. She is a member of the Copley Society of Art in Boston with the distinction of Copley Artist.

Crocker’s work has been featured in national juried and solo shows and is part of prominent public and private collections worldwide.