Biography
W. Truman Hosner
Detroit, MI / Paso Robles, CA
(American, b. 1950)
• Master Pastelist -Pastel Society of America
• Distinguished Pastelist -Pastel Society of the West Coast
• Maitre Pastelliste -Societé de Pastel de L’est du Canada
• Master’s Gold Medal Circle -International Association of Pastel Societies
• Member – California Art Club
• Honorary Member -Pintores Pastelistas Españoles
BORN IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN…
William Truman Hosner earned his BFA at Wayne State University. He went on to study illustration at the Center for Creative Studies, College of Art and Design in Detroit where he eventually returned to teach. Over his 17 years as a professional illustrator, his assignments included, among others, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, General Motors, Ford, Field and Stream Magazine, CBS-Fox Video, and Reader’s Digest.
At the peak of a successful commercial art career, Hosner re-focused himself: studying under two master painters at the Scottsdale Artists School: Harley Brown and Dan Gerhartz. Soon, plein-air painting with pastels captured his passion. And for two decades Hosner was fortunate to have the personal mentoring of Max Altekruse, himself a student of the renowned Frank Reilly (student of Dean Cornbwell) of the Art Students League in New York City.
To date, Hosner has achieved uncommon success with his fine art paintings. He was the first ‘Grand Prize’ winner in the Pastel Journal International Pastel 100 competition. He received: ‘First Prize’ from the French Pastel Society in Giverny, France; ‘First Prize’ from the Pastel Society of America in New York City; a ‘Best of Show’ from the Pastel Society of the West Coast, Best of Show-Northern Colorado Artists Association, and Best of Show for a Body of Work/Festival of the Arts -Paso Robles, CA -Quang Ho, juror.
Paintings by W. Truman Hosner have been featured in national and international museum exhibitions and collections ranging from New York City . . . to California . . . to Canada . . . to France and Spain. . . and Asia.
“Painting exclusively from life, the integrity of Hosner’s art is never in question as he conveys through his works the evolving moods and dynamics that can be captured only through the art of plein air painting.”
-Harry Goldson, Suttons Bay Galleries
“Nature restores my soul and stirs my imagination. And by picking up on natures rhythms I find I can make sense of things and focus on the beauty and goodness that surrounds me.
Working from life requires me to make my paintings more fluid, and to let go of in-studio polish. It allows me to produce rougher passages (dynamic incompletion) which seem more in sync with what I am experiencing… These passages better express the restlessness and spontaneous movement I find in the natural world. “
-Truman Hosner
Pro Bono Work
- Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit – For 10 years Hosner spent one day per month drawing portraits of the young patients in their rooms and gifting the drawings to them and their families.
- Petoskey-Harbor Springs Community Foundation – Hosner founded the Café Society Educational Fund – a scholarship to assist Northern Michigan coffee house baristas with needed funds to pursue higher education.
- Traverse City Symphony Orchestra – Hosner donated the entire proceeds of an auctioned portrait commission, approximately $8,500 to the symphony.
Experience
- Over 50 years of experience as a working artist (17 of which were in Illustration)
- International Art Workshop Teacher/ US, Taiwan, Spain, Canada, France, Mexico
- Published Art Author, and Lecturer
- Bachelor of Fine Arts/Wayne State University, Detroit
- Post Graduate Studies-Illustration/Center for Creative Studies, Detroit
- Former Faculty/Center for Creative Studies-College of Art and Design, Graphic Arts
- Post Graduate Studies-Painting/Scottsdale Artists School
- Faculty/Scottsdale Artist School
- Faculty/Pastel Society of America, Online Academy
Highlights
- 4 times Hosner’s art has had the honor of the cover art for the Artists’ Magazine and/or the Pastel Journal
- Foreign Guest of Honor – Salon International, Art du Pastel en France/Giverny, France
- US Artist Delegate-Curator -International Pastel Biennial-International Exhibition in Oviedo, Spain when the United States was invited as the Country of Honor
- Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan – Pastel Society of Taiwan
- Artist-in-Résidence – Les Amis de Grande Vigne / Dinan, France
- Hillsdale College, MI – Solo Exhibition / Sparkle with Repose – 44 Works of Art
- University of Michigan Hospital Gallery – Solo Exhibition / Gifts of Art Program
- National Taiwan Cultural and Economic Office, NYC-Featured speaker at their exhibition, honoring the United Nations International Women’s Day.
- Crooked Tree Art Center Petoskey, Michigan – Before Their Eyes -Four Artists in Plein Air – Christensen, Gerhartz, Dellinger, and Hosner.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor of Fine Arts, Wayne State University
- Post Graduate Studies, Center for Creative Studies
- Former Faculty, Center for Creative Studies, College of Art and Design
- Post Graduate Studies, Scottsdale Artists School
- Faculty, Scottsdale Artist School
- 17 years as an Illustrator followed by 30 years as a plein-air Fine Artist
- International Art-Workshop Teacher (US, Asia, Spain, Canada, France, and Mexico)
- Published Art Author
- Board Member/Liaison to Museums, Pastel Society of the West Coast
