Wild Things Artwork |
| "Target Fixed, Poised for Attack" |
22.5" H x 32" W Pastel on Ampersand Pastelbord.
At the Triple D Game Farm in Kalispell, MT, one can observe and photograph animals that are otherwise extremely difficult to locate in the wild - even if one can travel to their indigenous environments. Better yet, it is possible to complete this observation in close proximity to the creatures, which affords a supreme opportunity to study them closely. The snow leopard is an extradinarily magnificent creature, with luscious fur and eyes with a mesmerizing icy, greenish blue hue.
In this painting, I wanted to portray the intensity with which this cat fixes upon a target of its attention and the implied explosive power of its coiled-for-attack pose.
My artistic challenge in this work was to render the rock atop which snow leopard is poised in a way that would project mass and extreme texture. The rock needed to be rough and massive to enhance the appearance of the cat's strength and size. I sprayed the base painting of the rock with a pale gray enamel paint, purposely spattering the paint about the rock, then painted over the rock to complete the look.