Four artists share their dynamic animal paintings.
Denis Mayer Jr., Father’s Foresight, oil on canvas, 27½ x 40.
DENIS MAYER JR.
Where do you live and work?
I live with my wife and three kids in British Columbia, Canada, and my studio is established in my home.
What draws you to wildlife as a subject matter?
The love for nature has always been part of me since my childhood so it was natural for me to express that passion through art. Painting the various textures has always been exciting such as rocks, grass, moss, bark, the feather patterns, etc. To see an animal or a bird in its own proper natural habitat is what keeps me wanting to create more new paintings for nature’s perfection is truly God’s masterpiece that no man can match.
What is your creative process?
I use oils for my paintings and graphite for drawings. Since I do a lot of commissions, before starting a painting I will consider the subject that the client has requested and will create a digital concept from several photos combined to create a balanced image and to create a story. Once approved, I get to use the digital concept as my reference to do the painting so I won’t have to worry about any issues during the painting process. And I do use artistic license to make the painting even better and more three-dimensional than my reference.
Where did you study art?
I never went to art school; I started working for my dad at a very young age since he was a sign painter by trade. For years later, I specialized in commercial illustrations and architectural renderings. It was in 1992 when I discovered the art of Carl Brenders that I fell in love with wildlife art. Through hard work I studied and observed arts from various artists until I discovered my own unique style.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
In 2003, when I met Carl Brenders, the world-renowned wildlife artist from Belgium, who I had so much admiration for and still do.
contact information
www.denismayerjr.com
Barbara Bramham, Almost Ready for Takeoff, oil, 18 x 24.
BARBARA BRAMHAM
Where do you live and work?
Rohnert Park, California.
What draws you to wildlife as a subject matter?
I’ve always loved the outdoors, and experiencing wildlife is a big part of that. I get a thrill out of seeing any unusual or dramatic wildlife, whether it’s a fox, jack rabbit or a bird I’ve never seen before. A great way to see these animals is to visit wildlife preserves, zoos or museums. My goal is to capture an animal’s attitude, nature or unusual beauty. Before starting a painting, I try to identify that, such as a bird’s iridescence or a cape buffalo’s rough, mean attitude. It’s challenging, but satisfying if I’m able to achieve this.
What is your creative process?
I always use my own photos, so learning to be a good photographer is important and something I’m still working on. After choosing what photos I will use (usually combining several), I design the painting, always keeping in mind the special attitude or beauty or drama I’m trying to portray and how to do that. I do a very detailed drawing on the canvas, then paint a very detailed first layer and then a second. The more details I retain throughout the process, the better the result will be. The second layer is where I fine-tune the colors, add more hair, texture, etc.
Where did you study art?
Academy of Art University, San Francisco.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
The highlight so far is being recognized as a semifinalist in the Animal category of the 15th International ARC Salon and as a finalist in the 16th edition. I feel honored to be among such an amazing group of artists.
contact information
bbramham.artspan.com
Sharon Markwardt, Enduring, oil on canvas, 16 x 40.
SHARON MARKWARDT
Where do you live and work?
I make frequent trips back to Texas to visit family and my first gallery, but I have fulfilled the dream of many artists by now living and working primarily in Santa Fe.
What draws you to wildlife as a subject matter?
I have always been a lover of animals, and since my horse “threw me into Western art” in 2007, I have focused on painting ranch animals and wildlife. The eyes are an important focus, conveying a depth of emotions and personality shared with humans.
What is your creative process?
My process involves shooting my own photos, which I then crop tightly for composition. Painting in thin layers of oils and striving for realism and detail, I pump up the colors to create creatures that are fun to live with. Gold and silver leaf make the eyes reflect their spirits. Donkeys and goats are great at bringing out the smiles and laughter the artist seeks, while the bison, wildlife and longhorns elicit strength and soulfulness.
Where did you study art?
I earned my degree in fine art from the University of Texas at Arlington.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Career highlights include being invited to Cowgirl Up! at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum for 12 years running, being selected a Master Signature member of Women Artists of the West, a 2018 feature story in Southwest Art, having a piece chosen for a triennial show at the Booth Museum and having a solo show in 2022 at Manitou Galleries in Santa Fe.
contact information
www.colorofthewest.com
representation
Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, NM, www.manitougalleries.com
Your Private Collection, Granbury, TX, www.yourprivatecollection.com
Laney, Torrey Creek Juniper, oil, 17 x 28.
LANEY
Where do you live and work?
I live on Dry Creek near Crowheart, Wyoming.
What draws you to wildlife as a subject matter, and what is your creative process?
I am a naturalist wildlife artist. My paintings center on the connection between all the intricate and interconnected parts of the world in which we live. Living in northwest Wyoming, I focus on the high mountain meadows, forests and sagebrush flats of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. I paint the whole spectrum of regional geologic landforms, the plants and even the individual personalities of the birds and animals that inhabit my world. They are my friends and equals in the net of life and time. From childhood, my family has been connected to animals and we spent summers on my grandfather’s ranch. One unique aspect of my paintings is that I spend an equal amount of time on both habitat and animals. They are connected. Nature connects me to reality, and I live what I paint.
Where did you study art?
I received a BFA from Denver University focusing on commercial art. After graduation, I spent seven years illustrating biology books for the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study. Then I was a freelance illustrator for private publishing companies before returning to fine art.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
My association with the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I was instrumental in the organization and final exhibit DARWIN’S LEGACY. This exhibit covered the relationship between science and how science influenced wildlife artists. Living artists in this exhibit included myself, Bart Walter and Lars Jonsson. I have been in many NMWA exhibits.
contact information
www.sunnybankstudio.com
This story appeared in the June/July 2023 issue of Southwest Art magazine.