The Work of Wildlife Artist Jim Wilson
Jim’s lifelong love and fascination with nature and wildlife compelled him as a young boy to draw and paint the natural world around him. His paintings and drawings have earned the distinction of a unique blend of artistry and fidelity to each subject he paints, thus capturing the power, essence, and emotion he embraces as a naturalist.
Born in Virginia he spent his childhood watching wildlife and learning about nature while hiking the Blue Ridge and exploring the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. As a child it was his fascination with wildlife and it’s habitat that nurtured his sense of adventure and a need to explore the unknown. As an avid outdoorsman, Wilson continues to hike the wilderness areas of the world to gather material for his painting. He explores a tremendous variety of habitats so that he can depict his subjects in their proper physical contexts.
Jim has a passion and reverence for the natural world and has spent a lifetime sharing this passion through his art.
“Wilderness, its variety, its beauty, I perceive as vital to our human existence. Understanding its nature is key to its appreciation and ultimately its preservation.”
Most of his life Jim Wilson has seldom been without a pencil and sketchpad drawing the natural world. In his teens, he refined his skills with a degree in Commercial Art, and began to interpret nature using a variety of contemporary styles including abstract expressionism and surrealism. In the early 70’s, Wilson returned to realism and began to develop the style that would make him one of the foremost artists depicting the world of nature. In the 80’s, Wilson work began to receive the critical acclaim and to attract the enormous following it has today.
Since his first one-man-show in 1980, Wilson has had numerous sell-out exhibitions across the United States. His work is in many public and private collections in the U.S. and Canada. Wilson has had numerous one-man museum shows, and in 1985, he was recognized by the Governor of Virginia as one of the state’s prominent artists.
Jim now enjoys traveling and exploring in far away areas still rich in wilderness and wildlife like Africa, Alaska, and Canada’s far North.
Wilson’s commitment to ecology and preservation is many faceted. He perceives and professes in his work that wilderness is vital to human existence. An awareness of wild nature gives depth and richness to our own lives. Since the early 70’s he has been an active member of naturalist clubs and other conservation organizations. This involvement has increased in recent years and is now on a global scale. He has used his artwork and limited edition prints in fundraising efforts, which supports worthy humaniterian and conservation causes. He says. “The natural world is God’s crowning beauty upon the Earth. My desire is to understand all I can about it, and through my paintings, to celebrate and share all its’ marvels and mysteries with others.”
