Artist's Magazine Award

The Artist's Magazine recently selected the painting
"Reflections" as a finalist in their 24th Annual Art Competition. The winners and finalists will be announced in the upcoming December 2007 issue. "Reflections" is the same painting that was selected for this years Birds In Art exhibition.
http://www.mathiosstudios.net/

Tornado!

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to see a tornado. Don't ask me why - it's some sort of sick fascination. I've even toyed with the idea of going on a 'storm chaser vacation' in the Midwest. Anyway, we don't get very many tornadoes on the West Coast and the ones we do get, thankfully, are very small. Last Thursday, while painting, I heard thunder roll over the house and looked out my window to see some dark clouds rotating a little bit. Having never seen such a rotation before, my blood started pumping faster but knew these clouds were far from being a tornado. However, I grabbed my camera and binoculars and jumped in the car regardless.The rotating continued at varying strengths as the storm moved towards the next town. I parked in a grass seed field and snapped a couple more pictures hoping a funnel would form out of these clouds when a bolt of lightning hit about 100yds from my car! Needless to say, thoughts like "What are the chances of a tornado forming in Oregon anyway?" went through my head, and seeing as my car was the highpoint amongst the grass seed fields of the Willamette Valley, I reluctantly headed home wondering if I was making a mistake. I reached home and told my wife about my experience thinking I had seen all of the excitement, but was I wrong! Here are the next morning's headlines:Ouch! Maybe next time....
http://www.mathiosstudios.net/

Wild Wings Fall Festival

It's Fall Festival time again! Each year in Lake City, Minnesota, Wild Wings puts on an original art showcase featuring their artists. This year I have four paintings being exhibited, which are below. If you get the chance, the show is well worth visiting. This October 6th & 7th there will be live animal exhibits, painting demonstrations, a poster signing, and a big barbeque dinner all set along the backdrop of beautiful Lake Pepin.

"Greenwing Reflections" 12"x24" Acrylic on Board

"Sunlit Sanctuary" 14"x18" Acrylic on Board

"Song Sparrow" 9"x12" Acrylic on Board

"Icy Ride - Hooded Mergansers" 13"x18" Acrylic on Board

http://www.mathiosstudios.net/

An Old Idea Turned New

Sometimes when I start a painting, something doesn't click and I end up painting over it with a new image. Well, recently, while digging through some old photographs, I came upon a few paintings that had been painted over. With some of them, I could see why, with others I was curious as to why, and with a couple I was downright mad at myself for doing so. Below is an example of a painting that I wiped out in it's very first stages about 10 years ago. I remember struggling with the lighting a bit but other than that I have no idea why. So, with this particular painting, I decided to try again and here is the result - "Evening Sprig" (above).

http://www.mathiosstudios.net/

First Pheasant!!

The past two weekends at E.E. Wilson, a local wildlife area, a youth-only pheasant hunt was held and I had the opportunity to go along with my nephew (pictured). The hunt was set up to where only the youth could carry a gun while the adults guided with the only requirement being hunters have a valid hunter safety card and all of the necessary licenses and tags. All morning we hiked around in perfect weather watching the dogs Cody, and the next weekend Maggie, work their magic flushing birds. My nephew had a blast (both literally and figuratively) and ended up bagging his first pheasant - a beautiful rooster! The following weekend he bagged two more. The hunts were a complete success.

An important note about hunting: Because so much revenue for wildlife conservation is generated directly from hunting licenses and other fees, taking kids hunting is vital to passing on the ages-old legacy. As a result, the more hunters that get involved, the healthier our environment and the wildlife populations therein will be. Hunters also have a passion for conservation as is noticeable in the hundreds of millions of dollars raised through organizations like Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Safari Club, and the numerous other conservation groups.
http://www.mathiosstudios.net/

Making Progress

I feel that I have made a breakthrough on this painting. I have changed two of the ducks into wood ducks and added quite a bit of water detail into the background to make the image a little deeper and a little more interesting. Also, to add a bit more life into the piece I turned the middle wood ducks head a bit and have it calling. The mallard in the older version was sitting straight sideways and the painting looked a little mechanical and too contrived. There seems to be more life now. To compare the development of the painting you can scroll down and see the prior version. Now to get back to work on it...
http://www.mathiosstudios.net/

Duck Stamp Ideas

Here are some ideas for the upcoming 2008 Nevada Duck Stamp contest that will feature the Northern Pintail. These are thumbnail sketches which are normally the first step in developing an idea. The first one is only about 2"x3" while the second one is only about 1 inch square. The purpose of these loosely sketched drawings is to look at an idea and to play with the lights and darks.
http://www.mathiosstudios.net/

What's Going on in the Studio

Below are three paintings that I have been working on recently. I normally have many paintings going at once and, right now, there are currently nine in my studio. To see all nine you can visit 'The Easel' page of my website.

The first painting is of a snow leopard hiding back amongst some rocks. I have actually been working on this painting off and on for an astounding 7 years! It is the largest painting I have ever done measuring 30"x48". Recently, I saw a television special on snow leopards that rekindled my inspiration. Will it be the final push? I don't know, but I am pretty sure it won't be another 7 years until it is finished.

This next painting is about a week old and it needs more details, especially in the background. I am really taken by the lighting and am trying to push it to an extreme to help this male Redhead 'pop' out three dimensionally. I am doing that by incorporating more color than I normally use into the shadows.

This mallard group has been posted before. I have struggled with the layout of the ducks and I think I am going to wipe out one of the males and add a beautifully plumaged wood duck male to it. There just needs to be a bit more color in it, which may play nicely off the blue-headed drake at the bottom of the painting. http://www.mathiosstudios.net/

Birds in Art Catalogue

Yesterday afternoon, the 2007 Birds in Art catalogue came in the mail. This is very exciting because I wasn't able to make the trip back to the opening this year. So, I eagerly turned each page as a feast for the eyes awaited on each one. Upon waking this morning and feeling inspired, I poured over it again and then started painting. If you are interested in ordering a catalogue, which is produced as a beautiful soft cover book, or in seeing which artists are participating in this year's exhibition, you can visit the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum's website.

http://www.mathiosstudios.net/

South Platte Sunrise

The commissioned piece that I have been working on for the past few months is finished! An earlier post below showed a near completed painting, but the one below is finished and if you click on it a larger version can be viewed. This large painting, which measures 30"x40", was a lot of fun to paint because I would find myself daydreaming about duck hunting while working on it. The new season is near, and for those who may not know, I am a duck hunting fanatic. The passion for hunting is how I got into wildlife painting and creating scenes like this are my favorite thing to do when the season is not in progress.http://www.mathiosstudios.net/