For his new exhibit at the Montague & Studio Gallery, Jeff Wilson has painted all kinds of animals: working animals, wild animals and even domestic ones.
The realist acrylic painter’s style is to zoom in to paint the animal faces – the eyes, mouth and nose and other facial features – in great detail and use “looser brushwork for fur, feathers, etc.”
Although the Edinburgh-raised Wilson has painted animals before, they’ve only been side subjects within his artworks. Now animals take centre stage in Up Close, which runs until June 21 at the Montague & Studio Gallery and features 16 animal portraits, ranging from a Shetland pony and caribou to stray dogs in Athens and a sea turtle.
“There’s just something about a painting of an animal – although you know it’s a painting, you look into its eyes and it’s as if they are following you…they come alive slightly,” explained Wilson, in a Scottish lilt. “People like animal paintings.”
“The Arts Council is proud to be presenting Jeff Wilson's exhibition Up Close as we knew the appeal of the animals would be a real treat for children and their parents. We invite the whole community to come down and see for themselves this whimsical and vibrant exhibition,” said Arts Council executive director Stephen O’Shea.
Montague & Studio Gallery is located at Centennial Lodge in Queens Park. There will be an artist talk on June 6 from 2 to 4 p.m.
