Wessel + O’Connor Fine Art is proud to showcase the extraordinary work of photographer Ron van Dongen in the gallery from June 23 - July 29.

Most of us can claim some sort of appreciation for flowers. Every once in a while, perhaps for some special occasion, we may buy some fresh cut flowers or a plant as a gift or just for ourselves. But for Ron van Dongen, they are like his children. He not only cultivates them from seedlings to full fruition, he also immortalizes them in spectacular color photographs for all of us to enjoy. Each blossom is lovingly portrayed with it’s own lushly painted background using only natural light. The results are vivid portraits that reveal what Ralph Lauren has said, in the introduction to the artist’s first color monograph Effusus, are “a deeply personal, intimate recording of architecture, life, frailty, resolve, emotion and sensuality.”

Born in Venezuela, Ron van Dongen grew up in Holland, where he studied Health, Science and Biology before moving to San Francisco to study Photography. He now lives in Portland, Oregon, where he grows and nurtures each of the plants that he portrays so elegantly. Van Dongen's work has been widely exhibited in the United States, Europe and Asia, and is a part of many important collections around the world. There are nine monographs of his work, two of the most recent publications will be available for purchase at the gallery. This will be the artist’s second solo show with Wessel + O’Connor.