Some paintings begin with a subject. Others begin with a purpose. This new moose carries both.
I'm creating the piece for Ducks Unlimited as part of my continuing connection between wildlife art and conservation. The scale of the animal, the sweep of the antlers, and the quiet steadiness in its expression all called for a painting with presence.
Detail, movement, and a little gold.
The work moves between careful observation and a looser, more contemporary surface. Fine detail gives the animal its character, while gestural passages and touches of gold allow the painting to feel alive beyond strict realism.
This moose is developing alongside several other paintings in the studio. I'm letting those works speak to one another before deciding exactly how each belongs within the collections now taking shape.
Conservation gives the work a life beyond the studio—a way for the animal's presence to carry purpose.
I'll share more as the surrounding paintings are completed and their relationships become clearer. For now, this is a look inside the process: one animal, one evolving surface, and a larger body of work beginning to find its direction.