Ummarid "Tony" Eitharong
Nothing to Lose
March 7 - 28, 2026
Opening Reception: Saturday, March 7, 4-7 PM
In the Feature Gallery
About the Exhibition:
Ummarid “Tony” Eitharong was born in Bangkok, Thailand in 1952 and has lived in Florida since the early 1970s. A nationally recognized artist for over 50 years, Eitharong has exhibited in leading juried art festivals across the country, earning numerous awards and a devoted following. He brings more than five decades of artistic exploration to this dynamic exhibition of new work.
As one of the original 24 artists selected by Doris Leeper, Eitharong has been connected to Arts on Douglas since its inception. When asked how he met Leeper, Eitharong explains, “While exhibiting at an art festival in Kissimmee, a woman in riding boots, jeans, and a white shirt introduced herself as one of the judges—her strong personality left a lasting impression. We continued crossing paths, and later, as she prepared to open a new gallery in New Smyrna Beach, she called and invited me to check it out.” Eitharong held his first exhibition at Arts on Douglas in July 1996.
Eitharong’s willingness to embrace change has led his work to evolve in in many directions over the years. Over time, he transitioned from superrealism to pure abstraction, and from greyscale dry point drawings to vibrant watercolors, acrylics, and mixed-media paintings. Even within abstraction, he continues to experiment. He explains, “I keep changing and I can’t stop; there is just so much I want to do. The more I learn about abstraction, the more I can experiment with it. Expressionism, minimalism, symbolic minimalism and the Bauhaus movement are all influences that meld together in my work.” When asked what’s next, he concludes, “I am just playing. If it’s in my heart, I lean towards it. I have nothing to lose at this point in my life.”
