Don Ripper

-Liesel Schmidt

“Living is my passion. Every moment holds meaning and, as an artist, it’s my job to sense it, experience it, capture it, and share it.”

Known for his portraiture and landscapes, artist Don Ripper is an artist to his soul, a risk-taker who loves to explore and learn and create. “I refuse to settle for mediocrity. In art, as in life, I have a dogged determination to achieve the outcome that I know is possible,” he says. “And if it doesn’t work, I start over.”

A former rock drummer who toured with a band that was on the cusp of success, Ripper’s shift in focus has suited him—though he does toy with the idea of retiring as a jazz drummer. Whatever path he chooses, however, it will play to his strengths of creativity and expression. “I notice what other people miss and exploit it, find what is overlooked and reveal its inner meaning,” says Ripper, 52. “I thoroughly enjoy helping other people see, and that’s something I do with my art.”

When not working, Ripper is “a nerd that enjoys tequila and going down the rabbit hole of YouTube looking for interesting technology that I can use in my next art project.”