Born Donald Redner June 2, 1955 in Philidelphia Pennsylvania, Don’s first creative outlet was music. He is a self taught and accomplished musician. Don formed a jazz quintet and made his living playing at clubs during the 1980’s.

Being an artist and driven explorer, Don moved on to the visual arts. He taught himself to paint and shortly thereafter relocated to Ocean City New Jersey in the full time pursuit of a career as a painter.

Intrigued by the portraiture of VanGogh and Picasso, Don began painting portraits of ordinary people. Redner often collaborated with fellow musician/painter, noted American artist Joe Kardone who was associated with the late Jackson Pollack.

The use of strong often-black outlines and dramatic complimentary color schemes recall a group of German expressionists known as "Die Brucke”. The almost carved faces recall primitive masks and the works of Pablo Picasso.

The rendering of the eyes, seen by the Egyptians as windows to the soul, reveal Don’s characters to the viewer. Green with envy, blue and hollow without a pupil or focus, swirling, piercing, glaring, or hidden, these eyes speak volumes about those rendered.

The articulation of the neck and tilt of the head may reveal delicacy, strength, anger, indifference, as well as a host of other elements of character.

Hats and neckwear speak to social status. The graduate receives a necktie, the wise guy a hat, the debutante a scarf.

Don’s wonderful, complex, and colorful portraits capture the contemporary characters of today. We invite you to own one.

In addition to showing at Sonnet Gallery, Mr. Redner has exhibited his work at Raymond Michael Gallery, Red Rooster Gallery, and the 4th Street Café, all in Ocean City New Jersey.