About Don Renner
At five years of age, he found a photo of Abraham Lincoln and using watercolors and cardboard from a laundry shirt he painted his first portrait. Thus began his love of art and painting. Donald Glenn Renner attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts and studied with several prominent portrait painters. Don has been bringing life to canvas for over 50 years. Twenty years ago, Don added another media to his repertoire and is equally accomplished at painting portraits now in watercolor. At present Don lives in Ormond Beach Florida where he has his studio and teaches part time at the Art League of Daytona Beach.
During WWII he joined the Merchant Marine. Thus began his love of travel. He has been to Europe a number of times and together with his wife and two young daughters lived in Spain for a year.
Renner has participated in numerous exhibitions and one-man shows, and has won several awards including first prize in the International Art Festival at Gibraltar in 1962 while living and working in Spain. His paintings are included in private collections throughout the US and Europe. He has been published in numerous books, magazines and newspapers, including the “Best of Water Color 2, People and Watercolor” and also “American Artist Magazine”. He been a guest on numerous TV and radio shows, and is also a signature member of a number of Art Societies.
Upon returning to the U.S. from Spain, Don became affiliated with the Pheasant Run Playhouse in St. Charles, Illinois where his fascination with people and attention to detail earned him recognition as an accomplished portrait painter. He has translated onto canvas his artistic impressions of such personalities as William Bendix, Denise Darcel, Dan Dailey Howard Duff, Johnny Desmond, Christina Crawford, James MacArthur, Gary Lockwood, Edward Everett Horton, Dody Goodman, Robert Wagner, Maureen O’Sullivan, Michael Rennie, Don DeFore, Phyllis Kirk, and Virginia Graham, who opened her TV show “Girl Talk” with her Renner portrait. His portfolio also includes a painting of former State Sen. James Scott, which hangs in Tallahassee. Also, three official portraits for the Florida National Guard, including one of General Albert Blanding, a legendary soldier. A nine foot portrait of Don King, plus numerous private commissions.
In 1969 Don moved to Plantation Florida. In 1998, it got so crowded, he moved up to Ormond Beach where he now resides.
In recent years, Don has worked extensively with the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes in South Florida, painting portraits of the Indian tribal members and painting large murals depicting the Seminole way of life. He also painted 32 panels for the ceiling of the Parker Playhouse in Ft. Lauderdale.
Always humorous, when talking with Don about the journey and the sheer volume of work he has created, his words were, “well the first requirement is you have to live long enough.” Still going strong, with the support of his wife Shirley, Don is teaching classes at the Art League of Daytona Beach, giving private lessons and still accepts an occasional commission for his exceptional portrait work. Oh, by the way, Don still has his first portrait of Abraham Lincoln.
A student and friend
Danise Rosak