The Artist Behind the Park
Ron Larson spends his days capturing the sprawling, rugged beauty of the American West on canvases large enough to anchor a home. A member of the National Watercolor Society, his work hangs in institutions like the University of Utah and private collections as far away as Germany. He is an award-winning painter who regularly captures the light of Zion and the Grand Canyon. Yet, every spring, he turns his attention away from grand landscapes to focus on something significantly smaller: the carousel horses in St. George’s Town Square Park.
He has performed this task annually since 2012. It is a grueling week of work that involves sanding, priming, and repainting the fiberglass animals while the desert heat begins to climb. The pay is minimal. The hours are long. Most observers might view this as an odd mismatch for an artist of his standing, but Larson views the project as a necessary community service. He wants the ride to look sharp for the local families who rely on it for their weekend entertainment.
A History of Maintenance
The St. George carousel possesses a history that dates back well before its current home. Originally constructed in 1989 by Chance Rides, the ride debuted in Chicago before being acquired by theme park designer Wendell Hurlbut. Following Hurlbut’s death, the city of St. George purchased the unit in 2011 to anchor its Town Square park. The city’s former parks and recreation director, Kent Perkins, reached out to Larson shortly thereafter to ask if the artist could fix the battered ride. The transit process had chipped the paint and left the horses looking weathered.
What began as a one-time favor turned into a regular commitment. Larson treats the project like a fine art restoration. He uses an airbrush to create smooth gradients across the horses’ bodies. He then hand-paints the saddles and manes to emphasize their individual personalities. One year, he even added a pink horse to the mix after a child requested it. He painted it without asking for official clearance, knowing that the aesthetic improvement would outweigh any bureaucratic concerns from city hall.
Training for the Long Haul
Larson’s career path explains his ability to handle such a large, physical task. Raised in the Salt Lake Valley, he trained in commercial art at what was then Utah Technical College. He spent two decades working for the Young Electric Sign Co. and Reagan National Advertising, where he painted large-scale billboards by hand. This experience taught him how to work on a massive scale without losing time or precision. He learned to mix colors directly on the board as he worked, a technique that serves him well when touching up a spinning ride.
He transitioned to full-time landscape painting in 2018. His wife, Miken, manages the business side of his career, handling the website and marketing. She sees the carousel project as a central part of his identity as an artist. "Art is about sharing beauty and giving back," she noted. Michelle Graves, the assistant director of parks for St. George, agrees with this assessment. She points out that most municipal carousels fade quickly, but Larson’s efforts keep their ride looking new.
Why He Keeps Coming Back
Larson turns 70 this year, but he shows no signs of slowing down his output. During the annual St. George Arts Festival, he sets up his own art booth within view of the carousel. He finds satisfaction in watching children choose their favorite horses, seeing the joy that his restoration work provides. The carousel is a personal touchpoint in a career that has taken him all over the world.
He treats the ride as if it were his own private project. Even though he knows the city owns the machine, his connection to the animals is evident in the detail he applies to their eyes and gear. As long as the city calls him in the spring, he plans to keep showing up with his brushes and paint. The cycle of painting, resting, and returning allows him to stay grounded in the local community while his fine art reaches international audiences.