Sam Kates is a painter of coastal scenes reminiscent of old Florida. He describes his current style and techniques as “painterly realism,” full of detail to document his subjects but very dependent on light and shadows that give his works extraordinary depth and definition.  While his pictures are composed on site and reflect actual scenes and boats, the paintings are created in the studio at his home in St. Augustine, FL.  

Sam retired in 2002 after over three decades as a director of history, natural science and fine art museums and institutions in Florida, Tennessee and Alabama.  While he is still called upon to jury and judge art shows and festivals, most of his time is now spent in the studio painting coastal scenes that are reminiscent of the old Florida that was still prevalent during the 1940-50’s when he was a child.  He fondly remembers spending summers with his grandparents in New Smyrna Beach where huge sand dunes still exist and fleets of shrimp boats crowded the local docks.

Sketching trips to Cedar Key in 1957 inspired his first paintings of working boats and shorelines.  

He has been an exhibiting member of The Butterfield Garage Gallery artist co-op for the past ten years and has also shown his paintings at other numerous venues, galleries and Art Festivals throughout the state.  Sam was born in Orlando, Florida in 1940 and grew up in Gainesville.  He is an alumnus of Florida State University.