For wildlife artist, Bonnie Marris, animals have always been an integral part of her life. Growing up she remembers her family home as a refuge for anyone in trouble whether it be human or animal there was always a place for them. She has also been studying and painting wolves, foxes, dogs and horses since childhood. Her love of animals led her to pursue degrees in zoology and animal behavior. She also gives much credit to David Shephard, the great British painter and preservationist, as her hero and mentor. From him she became motivated every day to become more skillful in her work and to bring reality into her paintings.
Her passion that she has for the wilderness, animals, and for light and color has all come together in her art. She is satsified with her art only when it has allowed a viewer to feel that same passion. Light and color have become an obsession with her. As she describes it, “Color sets a mood, an atmosphere that can create feelings ranging from contentment to terror. There are colors within colors, too. The many colors in a shadow, for instance, convey cold or heat. The way light plays with the subject is also very important. Light may dance across snow or water, then lead the eye through the thick fur of a wolf’s neck or flash in the corner of a cougar’s eye. I’m fascinated by hue changes in light as it ages with the day.”
Bonnie wants to let viewers see each animal that she paints as an individual and to be able to connect with its soul. She spends many hours out in the wilderness observing and sometimes interacting with the wildlife that she paints. She also does a lot of outdoor photography and sketching. Once a year she tries to take a major field/research trip, whether it be watching polar bears along Hudson Bay, grizzlies fishing in Alaska, or elk sparring and bugling. To Bonnie it is all a very thrilling experience and she treasures her encounters with wildlife. They play such an intregal part in her artwork and in her love of her life. Below are featured some of Bonnie's breathtaking works of art.
Her passion that she has for the wilderness, animals, and for light and color has all come together in her art. She is satsified with her art only when it has allowed a viewer to feel that same passion. Light and color have become an obsession with her. As she describes it, “Color sets a mood, an atmosphere that can create feelings ranging from contentment to terror. There are colors within colors, too. The many colors in a shadow, for instance, convey cold or heat. The way light plays with the subject is also very important. Light may dance across snow or water, then lead the eye through the thick fur of a wolf’s neck or flash in the corner of a cougar’s eye. I’m fascinated by hue changes in light as it ages with the day.”
Bonnie wants to let viewers see each animal that she paints as an individual and to be able to connect with its soul. She spends many hours out in the wilderness observing and sometimes interacting with the wildlife that she paints. She also does a lot of outdoor photography and sketching. Once a year she tries to take a major field/research trip, whether it be watching polar bears along Hudson Bay, grizzlies fishing in Alaska, or elk sparring and bugling. To Bonnie it is all a very thrilling experience and she treasures her encounters with wildlife. They play such an intregal part in her artwork and in her love of her life. Below are featured some of Bonnie's breathtaking works of art.
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Beautiful and inspired work!
Beautiful and very real looking. Thanks.
Just beautiful x
Breathtaking works of art!!!!! I Love wolves & these pictures are wonderful!!! I enjoyed looking at them so very much!!!!
I am floored by the talent! Just beautiful, so beautiful that i have tears. Thank you for your spender.
I love each and every one of these magnificent wolves!!!
Talented and inspirational ,your work is amazing,i can almost touch the fur on him,thanks for your art.
These pictures are so beautiful...She really captured the wolf..Looks so real..
They are so beautiful. She is really great.
What a wonderful talent you have and such a beautiful subject.
i luv them i luv wolves had 2 of them they are so beauiful
WOW!!!!Beautiful paintings of such beautiful and majestic creatures!!!!
These pictures are more than beautiful. She captured their beauty but most of all depth and wisdom of their souls.
I don't know wath to say! so beautiful!
all I can say is, who would know these were done by hand, if you were not told. the light and shadows, the colors that are mixed just right. how does she do it? I just can't believe this is done by hand. what a talent you have, bonnie! I have never seen anything like it~
Omg. They are soo beautiful. So lufelike and so real
beautifull works of art. so realistic. love them <3 <3
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL LOVE THEM
Beautiful work
What magnificent paintings you have done.of coarse you also had magnificent creatures as your subjects.I would love to see your whole exhibits they are just out of this world thank you for sharing