Ron Fleming, Tulsa, OK

Ronald Franklin Fleming passed away peacefully at home on December 6, 2021. He was born September 20, 1937, to Grover Franklin and Helen Evelyn Fleming in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Ron is survived by his son, Randall Fleming and his wife, Kathryn; daughter, Tamara Scott and her husband Brett Scott; son, Todd Fleming; seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Ron was a long-time resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma. In his first career, he was one of the foremost airbrush graphic artists in the United States. His clients included the United States Airforce and Navy, Amtrak, American Express, Coors, Colgate, and many more.

Not satisfied with sticking to one medium, Ron took up the craft of woodturning and was one of the founding members of the AAW. He served on the board of the Wood Turning Center (now The Center for Art in Wood) for sixteen years. His work was revolutionary, as he saw the turned vessel not as a destination but as a new starting point, a fresh canvas with unlimited potential. He was one of the first turners to carve and paint his pieces. He took the craft of woodturning and introduced it to the art world. His work helped pave the way for future woodturners to explore the limitless boundaries of our craft.

Ron’s work is in permanent collections in many museums around the world, such as the Smithsonian Museum, Renwick Gallery in Washington D.C., and The State Department, Geneva, Switzerland, as well as multiple state museums. In 2017, he received the AAW’s POP Merit Award. Ron also holds the great honor of having his work in the White House Permanent Collection of American Craft in Washington, D.C., with a piece displayed in the Red Room.

—Tim Yoder

"Ron Fleming: Immersed in Foliage," by David Fry, from American Woodturner, June 2017