Greg Summers

Born in the Flint Hills of Kansas, the oldest boy in a family of 8. Summers has always had a love for art and the great outdoors, spending much of his youth on outdoor excursions, or indoors with pen or brush in hand. Enlisting in the USAF in 1974 paid his way through college on the GI Bill earning an Associates Degree in Commercial Art. Fresh out of school Summers married his 1st wife and began his professional career as an artist at Hallmark Cards Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri. During the next 20 plus years, he raised 4 children being very active in their upbringing, and helping in community service projects, scouting, coaching, sports.

The 21st century brought many changes in his life. The biggest was the realization that alcohol was not the cure-all that he thought it was, and that the only way forward was to put it behind. With this knowledge, a new marriage to a loving and supportive wife Summers was able to focus on what he did best, and that is paint. Through a continuing education course at the Kansas City Art Institute he was introduced to painting “en Plein air” by artist Anne Garney. This was the real turning point in his art. Never before had he considered going outdoors to paint. It was the spark that was needed to rekindle the fire that had almost been smothered.

It is the love of the land and the people that he went on to form the Missouri Valley Impressionist Society, and Brush Creek Art Walk. Sharing his visions of a world joined as one through art. “We go outdoors to enjoy the land, or stay inside to avoid it.” It is Gregory Summers an outdoor artist that brings the outside in.