Kent Wallis intends to paint canvases that reflect his simple, unrequited love of color and form. Years before impressionism became the darling of the art world, Wallis had awakened to the universe of light that captivated the great painters of the 19th century. Now, with exuberance and poetic inspiration, he creates canvases intended to dance with sunshine.

It was not always so. Twenty years ago, Kent Wallis was a professional in the business world who had never picked up a paintbrush. But his fascination with others' work convinced his wife that painting was a latent talent waiting for expression. At her urging, he began a nighttime "hobby" that proved to be a lifetime calling. Within ...