Camano Island painter, 82, going strong through wit and his art

Maybe it's an age thing for John Ringen -- he's 82 -- or maybe it's just force of habit.

But Ringen believes he hasn't used a new sheet of paper in years.

Which can be a good or bad thing for the person buying his art during the Camano Island artists studio tour. The buyer can either think she is getting two paintings for the price of one, or one good painting and one not so good.

"I paint on both sides of the paper because if I do something really crappy, I can turn it over and paint on the back," Ringen said.

When visitors on the tour arrive at Ringen's house, they need to be prepared for his sardonic charm, his dry wit and his self-effacing modesty.

"As my dear brother tells me, if anybody ever deserved to be modest, it's you," Ringen said.

Though modest, Ringen is one of the 60 award-winning artists who will be demonstrating his craft for this 13th annual Camano Island Studio Tour, which has made Camano a destination spot every Mother's Day weekend.

The Camano Arts Association puts together this juried tour, in part, to represent all varieties of art, from watercolor to woodworking, and today it has become one of the largest events on the island, tour director Rhonda Hundertmark said.

The arts association came up with a passport event for the first time this year, in which participants will be encouraged to decipher a secret message with hints found throughout the island. Those who identify the message will have the opportunity to enter a drawing to win art and art classes.

"In many ways we have made Camano Island an artists' haven," Hundertmark said.

Ringen has been on the island just a couple of years but he might be one of the artists who has been painting the longest, since starting at age 7 and eventually earning his master's of fine arts degree from the University of Washington.

A decadeslong career as an art teacher allowed him to retire young enough to become an illustrator, which he did until retiring for real in 1991.

But none of his awards or lifetime artistic achievements -- absolutely none of it -- has gone to his head.

When asked why people should visit his studio while on the tour, Ringen replied: "It's on the map."

Then he added: "I think most people can relate to bad watercolors and they may not be bad watercolors in the eyes of somebody else."

Thinking about it a minute, Ringen went on to say that "when you do as many paintings as I do, there's a handful that might not be too bad."

Obviously, Ringen hasn't taken his art too seriously but has done a lot of it, painting every day so he has hundreds of pieces collected in paper bags.

Ringen said he will have 50 pieces framed, along with hundreds unframed and in folders for the public to check out.

"I paint directly and quickly," Ringen said. "That is the watercolor medium and my excuse for not being nice and tidy in paintings."

Ringen said he usually paints every day but on those days when he doesn't feel like it, he flips through one of his many art books and has a martini.

But most days, Ringen is compelled.

"Painting is something I have to do," Ringen said. "I have not done a masterpiece yet and I always think, this could be the day."

The Camano Island Studio Tour runs for two weekends. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Sunday and May 14 and 15.

A complete brochure and map of the tour are available on the Camano Arts Association website along with videos and photo galleries. Go to www.camanoarts.org.



Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424; goffredo@heraldnet.com.