Eddie Tipton

I am a native of Van Buren, Arkansas, the oldest of four boys raised by a single mother. Needless to say, we struggled as a family, often finding ourselves homeless and bouncing from one relative’s home to another. I attended multiple elementary schools; we moved 28 different times before I was in sixth grade. I spent most of this time drawing on paper grocery bags because we couldn’t afford art supplies. Art was the place I went to escape the chaos around me. As a high school student, I met Tonia Holleman, my crazy, quirky, and loving high school art teacher. She introduced me to painting and I have been painting and drawing ever since. I have spent the last 33 years in education as a teacher, coach, and principal hoping to have the same impact on children my teachers and coaches had on me. I have spent most of my teaching years painting wildlife and portraits when time allowed. I have had artwork published in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission calendar. Created artwork for The Johnny Gossage Turkey Contest. On March 18th, 2023 I won the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission State Turkey Stamp Contest.