Art Van Kraft, a former NPR news director turned painter, brings his storytelling prowess to canvas in a compelling new solo exhibition opening at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 5, at Langford Art Gallery, 4850 S. Pacific Highway in the southern Oregon town of Phoenix.

Known for his content-driven approach, the Ashland-based artist channels decades of journalistic insight into vivid, emotionally resonant works. With words once his medium, the longtime broadcaster now tells his stories in paint — offering a fresh yet familiar narrative voice through his art.

The exhibition, “End Game,” will unfold in three engagements.

The second event will be an artist talk at 7 p.m. July 11 in conjunction with “Phoenix Second Phriday.” The second Friday art walk is a monthly community arts and culture event sponsored by the City of Phoenix Art & Culture Council and local galleries. The artist talk, hosted by the Langford Gallery, will offer guests the opportunity to hear Kraft speak about his paintings and ask questions.

A third engagement, also at the gallery, will feature a cultural leadership panel discussion and wine pour at 6 p.m. July 26. Hosted by the art council, the event is designed to continue community dialogue about the development of art and culture initiatives in the Phoenix area. Hospitality and music will follow the panel discussion.

The exhibition will close July 27.

Inside the process

Kraft’s journey as an artist is deeply personal, shaped by years of working quietly and independently in his studio. His choice to title his upcoming solo exhibition “End Game” reflects that introspective process — one rooted in solitude, perseverance, and the pursuit of authenticity.

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“For me and others like me, we paint alone, without fanfare … a solitary experience that has its hits and misses,” Kraft explained. “But when it hits, and you know it’s pure and part of yourself, that’s the end game.”

Kraft prides himself on being a storyteller, previously expressing himself through words. His paintings reflect his former job as a news director for National Public Radio in Southern California.

But even as a child, he was fascinated by shapes and colors. “Other subjects like math and science just didn’t stick — to my scholastic demise,” he said, laughing.

He holds degrees from the University of Southern California and Paris American Academy.

Kraft traces a pivotal moment in his artistic development to time spent in Europe, where he encountered the work of influential painters such as Peter Doig. Seeing such powerful imagery firsthand awakened him to the emotional and narrative force a single image can carry — an experience that continues to shape his own approach to painting,

Lessons in honesty

He began submitting to shows in Los Angeles and noticed that curators for two exhibits in a row chose the same two paintings for the announcement page. Kraft was curious about that.

”I asked one of them, why those paintings, and he said, ‘Because they’re honest.’ Then I knew. I learned that you have to know when you succeed and when you fail, and why in both cases.”

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Kraft said the Internet has opened markets worldwide for his art.

“Today I sell almost all my paintings on a sophisticated art network. That wasn’t possible two years ago,” he said. “Several of my paintings sold to collectors in Germany. The Paris gallery said they thought I appealed to German angst.”

Kraft’s own experience with solitude came not from existential dread but from a dramatic shift in environment.

“When I lived in San Diego, I thrived on friendships — even though they were superficial and boisterous,” he said. “When I moved back to L.A., things changed. I was looking for ‘community’ but the only people walking in the neighborhoods were landscapers.”

A place to belong

When he moved to Ashland nine years ago, he rediscovered a sense of community — and with it, a renewed sense of purpose.

“I found a place where I can walk down Main Street and say, ‘How’re you doing?’ I had never been in a parade in my life, but somehow, I ended up in three of them the first five years I lived here.”

Langford Gallery curator Becca Blake believes viewers will be moved by Kraft’s work and encourages the community to experience the exhibition firsthand.

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“This exhibition will take the viewer on a journey through intricate layers of landscapes and narratives,” she said. “Kraft’s work manages to be both deeply personal and collective, addressing the cultural expressions and individual introspection of our times.”

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To learn more about Kraft and his art, visit his Facebook account at facebook.com/artvankraft/.

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This story was originally published July 3, 2025, by Ashland.news.