Von Tipton
May 26, 1946 - November 14, 2002

Von Tipton was born Levon Tipton, in Donaldsonville, Georgia, May 26, 1946. Inspired by books, movies and the swamps and rivers around his childhood home of Bainbridge, Georgia, Von Tiptons young imagination soared. Local ghost stories and mysterious lore were also a fascination. At five years old, Von began drawing his natural surroundings. Tiptons family finally settled in the North Florida city of Chattahoochee in 1962. This picturesque area would be his home for the rest of his life.

As Tipton matured, he studied the Old Masters and purchased books of art instruction. For the next 20 years he worked at mastering his craft. During that time Von said he was a closet painter, earning a living in construction as a brick layer. Mostly a self-taught artist, Von Tipton was encouraged by the few friends and family who saw his work. His brother, Gene, remembered Von spent thousands of hours drawing and painting: He worked every day on his art. What served to fully unleash his creativity was encountering the book whose creator would inspire him more than any other - The Fantastic Art of Frank Frazetta. Frazetta, revered master of modern fantasy art, created images like the ones Von had been trying to put on canvas.

Tipton finally let loose: first, closely inspired by Frazetta, then finding his own path and a remarkable variety of subjects and media, of which this book can offer only a taste. Von Tipton’s style evolved to evoke the wonder of magical creatures, fearsome monsters and the bravado of heroic warriors. Many of his paintings also documented the beauty of his rural country surroundings, often incorporating elements of the fantastic, making his work unique in the genre.

Von’s health finally forced him to quit construction. He taught art from 1975 to 1986 at the Recreation Department in Chattahoochee and his own studio. He also had a sign shop for a while. In 1987 Tipton took photographs of his paintings to Decor Gallery in Tallahassee, Florida. Decor immediately took his paintings on consignment and contracted him to paint solely for them. Von Tipton sold approximately 200 paintings over the next two years. People react to Von’s work, said Cvia Rodin, one of the Decor Gallery owners. They have something to say about it, and it says something different to anyone who sees it. People put a lot of themselves into his paintings.

By 1995 Von Tipton had painted almost 800 paintings and still had so many ideas that he could not get them all done. He found imagery for his work everywhere. His goal was to create a scene that could evoke a story in the viewers mind: a painting to make one wonder what happens before and after the scene depicted. Von read a lot, but said he seldom used ideas from published works, though they inspired him. His paintings ranged from bright and positive to those exploring darker themes. They make a lasting impression and that, Von said, is what art is all about. If an artist does not provoke some kind of feeling he won’t be noticed.

His awards include two first place awards in the Peers Choice and the Harlequin Art categories, at the 1988 Nolacon II World Science Fiction Convention, New Orleans; First place award (among 101 entrants) at the 1988 Opus Magnus Fantasy Convention in Columbus, Georgia; First place, 1995 Dark Fantasy division at DragonCon, Atlanta; and was nominated to receive the Chesley Award (sponsored by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists). Galleries and shows include Decor Gallery, Tallahassee; UFO Museum and Art Gallery, Roswell, New Mexico (Tiptons UFO art was also published in the book Roswell: Have You Wondered and exhibited in the museum art gallerys traveling show); Era sistibles Gallery, Havana, Florida; Pelican Place Gallery, Tallahassee; Oounkshaw Art Gallery, Young Harris, Georgia; Dark Millenia Studios, Denver, Colorado; The Westgate Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana; 1995 World Horror Convention, Atlanta; and numerous one-man shows. Von Tipton was also a featured artist in Volume 4, issue 4 of Carpe Noctem magazine.

Tiptons art work was praised by world-renowned science fiction and fantasy artist, Kelly Freas. He usually charged for an art critique, but never charged Von Tipton. Freas sent Tipton a hand-written letter praising his work and asked to keep a photograph of a Von Tipton fairy painting.

Von Tiptons mural of the historic John W. Callahan steamboat, forging ahead on the Apalachicola River, graces the side of an old brick building at Heritage Park in Chattahoochee. He was able to touch it up before his death on November 14, 2002. A down-to-earth, quiet man, Von Tipton never tired of painting. It was his joy - what he was meant to do. Though Von Tipton is missed by those fortunate enough to have known him, his countless wonderfully-rendered paintings will continue to delight future generations.

[Quotes are from Fantasies for Sale, November 7, 1988 Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.]

- Compiled by Lizabeth West