North American Wildlife Paintings

MOOSE or European Elk (Alces alces)

The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (Alces alces), is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the largest and heaviest species in the deer family. Most adult male moose have distinctive broad, palmate antlers; most other members of the deer family have antlers with a "twig-like" branching configuration. Moose typically inhabit boreal forests and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of the Northern Hemisphere in temperate to subarctic climates. Currently, most moose occur in Canada, Alaska, New England (with Maine having the most of the lower 48 states), New York State, Fennoscandia, the Baltic states, Poland, and Russia.

"Emerging from the Shadows", Bull Moose

Original oil painting
image 36 x 42 inches
FOR SALE £12,800 incl. frame

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Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Amongst the true foxes the red fox is the largest and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora. It is present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe and Asia. Red foxes live in many diverse habitats including forests, grasslands, mountains, and deserts. They also adapt well to human environments such as farms, suburban areas, and even large communities. The red fox's resourcefulness has earned it a legendary reputation for intelligence and cunning. Red foxes are solitary hunters who feed on rodents, rabbits, birds, and other small game—but their diet can be as flexible as their home habitat. Foxes will eat fruit and vegetables, fish, frogs, and even worms. If living among humans, foxes will opportunistically dine on garbage and pet food.

"Winter Sun", Red Foxes

Original oil painting
image 24 x 36 inches
FOR SALE £6250 incl. frame

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Cautious Fox

Original oil painting
image 24 x 32 inches
£4250, Sold 2022 Currency Converter

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PAINTINGS IN PROGRESS

"Exuberance of Youth"
Grizzly Bear Mother and Cubs

Caribou

Grizzly Bears and Caribou "On the Easel"

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Finished Painting & Enlargements

"Out of the Forest" Diptych
Two canvases each 36 x 48 inches
Gray Wolves chasing American Elk
Original Oil Painting

More Gray wolf & American Elk Paintings

NEW INSPIRATIONS - Story telling and rewilding themes

A number of years ago I received an interesting commission from a now close friend. As a result of that request I have enjoyed exploring a whole new range of creative ideas; pushing my visual imagination and researching an extended range of animal subjects. My friend James has since childhood harboured a fascination for the animals which used to roam the British Isles. As an historian he has studied many ancient records documenting the distribution of once abundant fauna that we have since lost. His brief for a commission was that I should paint a scene turning back the clock to imagine the wolves that once roamed the Highlands of Scotland. The landscape needed to incorporate recognisable features from the neighbourhood where James spent his childhood. I depicted the Ruchill Water near Comrie with views to mountains of Ben Halton and Mor Bheinn. A view I am very familar with, as it is less than a mile from my home. Here is the painting I came up with, a pack of wolves crossing the river.

Wolves

Original oil painting
image 24 x 36 inches
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"Upping the Pace", Chasing wolves

Original oil painting
image 21 x 42 inches
FOR SALE, £6250 incl. frame

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Dappled light illuminating an animal track my heart beats faster as a lynx pads into view. This experience would have been possible were it not for the accumulative effect of humanoids on the world's biodiversity. I know there is much debate surrounding the reintroduction of the larger apex predators. Here in the United Kingdom the countryside is vastly altered and such steps would need careful consideration and preparation. However it is my belief that controversial ideas should be debated as it can no longer be considered enough to simply conserve what we have. The United Kingdom is the most biodiversity depleted land in Europe and we have for decades failed to stop the decline. I'm not saying this as a so-called "bunny-hugger" or "Townie" I have spent my life in the countryside observing fauna and flora. It is my livelihood, working as a wildlife artist I have witnessed the decline first-hand. My passion for nature began at an early age and I naively thought that all the animal species I read about would be there for me to explore for the rest of my lifetime. How wrong! It saddens me greatly to walk through a landscape depleted of so much. Amazingly complex natural ecosystems are a wonder and help sustain the richness of the planet. I mourn the disappearance of animals, birds and flora that have become critically scarce in my neighbourhood. Many species have already vanished entirely. This is happening throughout the world at an alarming rate. What is needed are largescale projects where we actually support and increase biodiversity. I believe that marginal land should be rewilded on a massive scale.

I'm a painter not a writer of campaign manifestos so if you want to read more on the subject of increasing biodiversity I highly recommend this book by Isabella Tree "Wilding" The Return of Nature to a British Farm.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/wilding/isabella-tree/9781509805105
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wilding-return-nature-British-farm/dp/1509805095

Full of astounding facts this beautifully researched text debates the issues facing the future of our countryside.

Further ideas for paintings

I am developing ideas for paintings of more animal species including sketching out compositions for European Elk otherwise know as Moose in North America. My latest compositions depict Caribou (Reindeer) crossing the wild Tundra and Grizzly Bears.

My plan is to build up a portfolio of North American subject matter. Once I have a body of work I'll focus on how I want to market them. I've only previously exported to the USA and have not actually had representation there. There are so many wonderful American galleries exhibiting wildlife art. It has also been interesting following some of the auctions such as Jackson Hole Art Auction, Scottsdale Art Auction or the Coeur d’Alene Art Auction.