Wild. Wildlife Art Exhibition
Curated by Sküt for Earth Day 2021.
April 13 – May 8, 2021 at TAG Gallery, Los Angeles.
“We are humble guests to this incredible planet. I brought together a diverse group of talented creators that I love to celebrate Earth’s magnificent fauna through wildlife animal art. Wild includes artists from a wide spectrum of disciplines: illustrators, painters, animators, graphic designers, tattoo artists, photographers, digital creators, sculptors, jewelers, musicians, and more. Each artist depicts a wild creature by sea, land, or air. As you experience these fantastic depictions of the natural world think about small changes you can make to help ensure the future of our home. Remember to get Wild and celebrate Earth Day every day.” – Sküt
10% of all Wild sales will be donated to the World Wildlife Fund.
To inquire about purchasing Wild artwork please contact us gallery@taggallery.net 323.297.3061
Wild Artists: A Sense Of Huber, Art of the Endangered, Bayla Arietta, Becky Robbins,Burton Gray, Christian Del Rosario,David Colman, Dex Franco, Gared Luquet, Joe Weatherly, Jun Yang, K Ryan Henisey, Kal Yee, Mack , Nicholas Ivins, Rob Scott, Rob Sheridan, Rsin, Ryan Chadwick, Shake, Show Pigeon, Tusk.
About The Curator: Sküt the artist (Scott Lewallen) is Vice President of TAG Gallery and Los Angeles native, best known as Co-Founder and original designer of Grindr.
Mako Sharks.
Sharks painted in oil on reclaimed pine from a house built in Duxbury Massachusetts in 1775.
“Fine arts meets Decoy style for this ‘smoothie’ Shark.
This is my baby of the three, darker then the rest, a fan favorite.
This is the Grandaddy of the series, really showing the history of the wood in the knots. My showpiece for this Awesome Exhibition.”
Rob Scott is an Artist and Musician Based in Provincetown Massachusetts. BFA Tyler School of Art Masters in Modern American music at Longy School of Music, he discovered carving while painting houses when a client turned out to be a decoy carving Instructor.
Emperor Penguin, Walrus. This piece is about the struggle wildlife faces in the Arctic and Antarctic climates due to sea ice melt and loss of natural habitat.
Artist Jonathan Martinez, also known as, Art of the Endangered is a contemporary creative whose talent has been commissioned for high-profile art installations and partnerships with leading art brands and conservation groups all over the country. Born in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles and Orange County, Martinez’ signature style juxtaposes elements of fine and street art, and is the only Los Angeles-based urban artists dedicated exclusively to painting and generating awareness for wildlife and endangered species.
Jun Yang Sea Turtle
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Sea Turtle. This piece was inspired by sea turtle swimming through a reef. Many indigenous cultures revere them or consider them ancestors. They are also an important part of their environment and influence other species around them. I used acrylic pour techniques to create an abstract flow background. This piece will glow under black light.
“Bright colors have been one of the most crucial elements of my art. For me, mixing colors referencing my life experience also refracts my feelings. Recently, I’m absorbed with combining neon colors and utilizing the new shapes and layers. This allows me to go deeper than just creating a beautiful painting and allows me to express the way I see the world. I mainly paint with acrylic, acrylic inks and oil.” – Jun Yang
K Ryan Henisey Monarch
Monarch Butterfly. Monarch is a study in watercolor and inks.
As a California-based artist, K Ryan Henisey's work is heavily influenced by the people, culture, and landscape of the Golden State. His personal narrative is often interwoven with mythological subjects, using patterning as a vehicle to make meaning from deconstruction.
"I use a segmented form, highlighted with patterns and material," explains the artist. "With these two visual tools, I create connections within a context of deconstruction and Queer theory. Ultimately, I believe that meaning must be constructed in order to hold value." – K Ryan Henisey
K Ryan Henisey Joy
Hummingbird. Joy is pinned in segments, floating above the canvas. Like the title, the hummingbird represents the fleeting and fragmented nature of our emotions.
As a California-based artist, K Ryan Henisey's work is heavily influenced by the people, culture, and landscape of the Golden State. His personal narrative is often interwoven with mythological subjects, using patterning as a vehicle to make meaning from deconstruction.
"I use a segmented form, highlighted with patterns and material," explains the artist. "With these two visual tools, I create connections within a context of deconstruction and Queer theory. Ultimately, I believe that meaning must be constructed in order to hold value." – K Ryan Henisey
Burton Gray
RAMPAGE: Fantasia in Red, Pink, Orange and Blue
An Enraged Gorilla. I needed to release some pent up hostility so I painted a loud screaming monkey. I feel much better now.
“Originally I was an oil painter but now I exclusively paint digitally. Painting from imagination and revisiting my paintings from time to time they become living works of art and each print is a snapshot in its life. My creative process is made possible by digital technology. I begin analytically, but allow my subconscious to take over and go down whatever path it chooses. I then consciously review the crazy results and pick out what works and expand upon it. It is a cycle that eventually leads to self discovery and compelling imagery that connects on a deeper level than I could achieve by traditional means. And its a lot of fun. Imagination sets you free.” – Burton Gray
Rob Sheridan The Wolf
Gray Wolf. Nature snarls back as the careless machinations of human society attempt to tear it apart.
Here, the resilience and fighting spirit of the Gray Wolf perseveres through the turmoil of its long struggle against extinction. Stand close and you might see only uncertainty, but step back and the fierce image of the wolf begins to materialize; clearer but still disrupted, as its population recovery in North America remains an ongoing journey.
“My work conveys fear, conflict, and uncertainty through the unpredictable nature of analog glitch art techniques. Analog signals are disrupted through damaged VHS tapes and worn-down VCRs, then photographed at high speed off a vintage CRT monitor, capturing tiny moments of chaos as images break apart and reform, struggling to maintain form while the hostile outside influence of the artist plays havoc with the flow of information. The image is captured entirely in-camera of real-time analog glitching, no Photoshop or filters are used.” – Rob Sheridan
Bayla Arietta Pink Panther, Blue Fox
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Fox. Panther. Fox skeleton in blue. Panther skeleton in pink
Watercolorist Bayla Arietta explores environmental issues, at-risk species, and ecosystem preservation in her work, as well as the clash between science and superstition. Often working closely with professionals and literature in scientific fields, Bayla challenges viewers to consider human relationships with nature and our impact on the natural world.
Joe Weatherly Cheetah, Mountain Cat
African Cheetah. The colors of the African Cheetah lend themselves well to blending into the earthy landscape of the African savanna where they live. This painting conveys the spirit of the cat with impressionistic details. Form as opposed to fur is modeled with athletic brushwork to convey the nature of this captivating feline. The abstract design of the background is intentionally simplified to highlight form, pattern and color while simultaneously capturing an aura of mystery.
Mountain Lion. Cougar, puma, and catamount are all names describing the same cat commonly referred to as the mountain lion. This large wild cat is found all over much of North, Central, and South America. In Southern California they have gotten a lot of recognition in the Santa Monica Mountains and are unique for living within Los Angeles city limits. “Mountain Cat” showcases this lucid feline in an impressionistic style focusing on the animal’s essence. The abstract design of the background is intentionally simplified to highlight the form, and color while simultaneously capturing an aura of mystery.
“I seek to make bold statements of the animal kingdom capturing their essence and form. The attitude and expression of the animal's character along with visual story telling are important aspects of my work. Conservation of the natural world is another passion of mine and I hope my work will motivate people to protect and promote its survival.” – Joe Weatherly
TUSK Donna
Warthog. 1.5 scale warthog sculpture by Tusk, paint by Sara Czosnyka.
For the previous eighteen years Stephen Kessler (Tusk) successfully built a career as an accomplished art director and graphic designer for several leading consumer brands. In parallel, he undertook an intensive study of sculpture with one of Utah’s leading artists while also learning large-scale fabrication under some of the most nation's most experienced journeymen. Augmenting those skills, Stephen quickly secured some of Utah’s largest public commissions and continues to push design and techniques as a sculptor and fabricator. In 2015 Stephen was juried into an elite group of international wildlife artists, Society of Animal Artists, one of two members residing in the state of Utah.
Now working under his brand, Tusk Sculpture, Stephen is focused on innovating cost-saving methods that ensure that these large scale commissions are accessible to organizations who offer them to the public.
“I love the process as much or more than the finished pieces. After years of tanning in front of a monitor, moving clay is a liberating move from the ever-increasing, two-dimensional/digital world I’m so accustomed to. Sculpture brings me back into the physical world. Other than fatherhood, nothing brings me more joy than working life into clay. Wildlife is something I’ve always loved and studied so naturally these are the subject of most of my pieces, but mainly they are simply something I’d want in my own personal collection.” – Tusk (Stephen Kessler)
Giraffe. A monumentally-sized and detailed portrait of Earth’s tallest creature!
Nicholas Ivins is an award-winning artist and illustrator based in San Diego, creating comic-inspired art that explores the offbeat and dark beauty of this wacky world. As a visual storyteller, Nick strives to create images that are bold and colorful, yet emotive and nuanced.
Ryan Chadwick
Male Splendid Fairy Wren, Male Lovely Fairy Wren, Japanese White Eye
Male Splendid Fairy Wren. Male Lovely Fairy Wren. Japanese White Eye.
Male Splendid fairywren, also known simply as the splendid wren. found in Western Australia.
The lovely fairywren, is a species of bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is endemic to northeastern Australia. natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.
The warbling white-eye, also known as the Japanese white-eye and mountain white-eye, is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family found in east Asia
“My drawings appear frozen in time and I intend them to jump off a plain white background. The minimalistic background allows you to focus on every minute detail of the subject; from a barnacle on humpback’s chin to the fine spindle hairs on a bee’s back. My inspirations span the wildlife documentaries of Sir David Attenborough and the simplicity found in animal drawings of a child’s picture book We live on a planet where the extinction of certain species of animal is a real threat. What my work does is open our eyes to the magnificence of these creatures.” – Ryan Chadwick
Rsinart Whisperbunny
Rabbit.
10" Kidrobot Labbit hand painted in acrylics.
Rsinart is a custom designer, toy artist, 2d canvas and digital artist. Creator of the Whispers.
Kal Yee Lion Heart
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Lion. Sterling silver lion head with braided leather band
“The purpose of my jewelry is to activate and enhance the energy of the wearer. It not only looks good on him, it makes him feel balanced and powerful.” – Kal Yee
I am a L.A. based fashion photographer for over 30 years, shooting all over the world. Having served as the Creative Director of two companies for a total of 7 years, I usually help brand, concept the shoot, produce the shoot, do the men,s hair/makeup/styling, edit and retouch, and oversee layout for both still and video. Lately I’ve focused also on the design of men’s accessories- creating everything by hand.
Nautilus. A shelled deep sea cephalopod!
Nicholas Ivins is an award-winning artist and illustrator based in San Diego, creating comic-inspired art that explores the offbeat and dark beauty of this wacky world. As a visual storyteller, Nick strives to create images that are bold and colorful, yet emotive and nuanced.
Sea Urchin. Two plants attacking a sea urchin, urchin stabbing both of them, defending themselves but struggling
“‘Protect your energy’ is about the feeling of being somewhere new. A lack of control of your surroundings and being out of your comfort zone trying to defend for yourself. Lost in a world you don’t belong or are apart of.” – Mack
Dex Franco Monarchy
Monarch Butterfly. A digital journey of an endangered Monarch.
“Using thousands of digital lines in a web of colors, and acrylics; you can find me connecting the dots in the stars; a dream made from chaos. I like to create art where living things join that which is unknown. Something to make you look up the stars at night and inspire your own imagination to connect anything and everything.” – Dex Franco
Nicholas Ivins Macaw
Macaw. An exotic and colorful rainforest bird!
Nicholas Ivins is an award-winning artist and illustrator based in San Diego, creating comic-inspired art that explores the offbeat and dark beauty of this wacky world. As a visual storyteller, Nick strives to create images that are bold and colorful, yet emotive and nuanced.
Christian Del Rosario
Agama Lizard - Serengeti, Tanzania
Costa Rica Red Eyed Tree Frog
Costa Rican Red Eyed Tree Frog - Photographed in La Paz, Costa Rica.
Hunting Agama Lizard - Photographed in the vast Serengeti ecosystem.
“There are three passions in life that keep me busy – my love for animals, traveling, and photography. My most recent endeavor involves taking people to Africa on safari trips, where I teach photography and share my passion and love for animals with my guests and friends. I am a very proud Dad to a beautiful Frenchie named Roxie and a cute Boston Terrier named Romi. My two dogs make me very very happy.” – Christian Del Rosario
A Sense Of Huber
Palm Tree Camo
California Dreamin'
Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo
Red-eared Slider Turtles.
Palm Tree Camo. Little wings and big dreams! Taken at a perfect palm tree street in Hollywood, this is the most popular image from my Turtle Tuesday series and my favorite photo I've ever taken.
California Dreamin'. It's a shell of a life! Shelly's out on a sunny California adventure at Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, California.
Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, Michelangelo. Created for my "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" series, this image was inspired by the color red.
“This collection was created for my "Turtle Tuesday" series that I added to weekly for several years on social. Inspired by the cuteness of these little rescued reptiles, I found myself photographing them all over California and even dressing the crew up as Ninja Turtles.” – A Sense Of Huber
Chuck Hohng Urocyon littoralis clementae
Catalina Island Fox. This work portrays two channel island foxes, one seemingly alive and the other being adorned as a catacomb saint. When the idea was formed a half-decade ago, they were endangered which was a reason for my fascination. However, I am happy to say their population is growing and well!
Born in Long Beach, CA and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Chuck Hohng has always been living in the gray area. Not a fully Korean nor an American, his attempt to understand the cultural duality of life has led him to seek a way to connect different cultures through the visual medium. Finished his undergraduate study in Fine Arts at the University of Southern California and earned his MFA at Art Center College of Design, Chuck Hohng had been part of several national and international exhibitions/ art fairs including southern California, France, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, and Great Britain.
David Colman Big Cats
Lion. Tiger. Jaguar. Panther.
“My rendition of the infamous Scar, from The Lion King
My rendition of Shere Khan, from the Jungle Book, one of my favorite Disney characters.
Energetic sketch of a lion in waiting on the African plains.
Tree dwelling Jaguar patiently stalking its prey.
Dramatic capture of two panthers struggle over territory in their jungle habitat.
African lion on alert, tentative and ready in the bush of African plains.
Two adult male Siberian Tigers fight for control of a frozen snow bank.
As simple loose line drawing of male African Lion bust, calm and peaceful in a breezy setting.”
David Colman is an illustrator working in the entertainment industry as a storyboard artist and concept designer.
Shake Panthera Tigris
Tiger. A 3" deep wooden panel supports a heavy texture, left rough and jagged, resembling the short intense lifestyle of these big cats. Influenced by the majestic but fierce reputation of the endangered specie. Hand drawn with pastel, finished with aerosol, acrylic and epoxy.
Jake and Shae (Shake) are a venturesome couple collaborating out of Arizona, creating ultra modern art that combines the worlds of abstract and realism. They initially focus on putting the time into the subject of the piece, bringing it to life with detail and realistic features. They want viewers to be drawn into the piece but also add interest with various methods and techniques to peak their interest. They want them fascinated as well as left in wonder. This is part of the reason they became artists, having been constantly impressed and inspired by local art events and other artists work, they found themselves drawn to artwork that was bold and astonishing, interesting and eye catching. They both have backgrounds in design and building, and are naturally inclined towards creativity and art. They also find inspiration from their travels and outdoor experiences, from the mountains to the ocean, nature continues to be a great source of motivation to create. This is one reason you can expect to see a variety of subjects in different series, from animal life, human portraits, landscape and sometimes pure abstract. The possibilities are endless and they love exploring as many as they can.
California Mountain Lion. P-56 was a Mountain Lion that sadly was killed last year (2020) promoting awareness for our Mountain Lions here in Los Angeles. Drawing in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation.
Artist Jonathan Martinez, also known as, Art of the Endangered is a contemporary creative whose talent has been commissioned for high-profile art installations and partnerships with leading art brands and conservation groups all over the country. Born in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles and Orange County, Martinez’ signature style juxtaposes elements of fine and street art, and is the only Los Angeles-based urban artists dedicated exclusively to painting and generating awareness for wildlife and endangered species.
Christian Del Rosario
Zebra - Kenya
Chobe Elephant - Botswana
Plains Zebra. African Elephant. A curious Zebra in the Maasai Mara in Kenya. An elephant after a river swim from Chobe National Park in Botswana.
“There are three passions in life that keep me busy -- my love for animals, traveling, and photography. My most recent endeavor involves taking people to Africa on safari trips, where I teach photography and share my passion and love for animals with my guests and friends. I am a very proud Dad to a beautiful Frenchie named Roxie and a cute Boston Terrier named Romi. My two dogs make me very very happy.” – Christian Del Rosario
Gared Luquet Elephant Cookie
African Elephant. My Elephant Cookie painting playfully reimagines an African Elephant as an iconic Circus Animal Cookie. With over 250 sprinkles and a hot pink candy coating, this cute elephant will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.
“Animals have long captivated the human imagination. My large-scale wildlife portraits depict the similarities of emotional expressions that are shared across the human and animal species. My most recent body of work, LA ZOO, emphasizes the connection between animals and the manmade world, specifically referencing the wildly diverse culture of Los Angeles. My Snapchat series is a commentary on popular culture in which I combine animal portraits with Snapchat inspired filters to give anthropomorphic qualities to the animals and highlight the preconceived human perceptions of animal behavior. These animals are immortalized in classic Los Angeles style headshot poses and altered with whimsical filters and pop art inspired backdrops.” – Gared Luquet
Show Pigeon
Opossums, Armadillo, Elephant Shrew, Naked Mole Rat
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Opossum. Armadillo. Elephant Shrew. Naked Mole Rat.
A mama opossum carrying her babies. A friendly armadillo. A wee elephant shrew. A flirty naked mole rat.
“I love depicting overlooked objects and critters in my art. My technique is rooted in American Traditional Tattooing with a heavy dose of inspiration from vintage children’s stories, figurines and ephemera. The result is nostalgic and playful; a celebration of simple joys.” – Show Pigeon
Becky Robbins Love Is Still The Answer
Jaguar, Octopus, Oxen, Bees, Fruitfly, Butterfly.
Nature is our teacher of the Golden Mean represented in this piece multiple times in the honeycomb, pinecone with spirals symbolic of the pineal gland also called the God gland,, logarhymic spiral of the seashell and flowers including our anatomy. All images are connected in some way, indicating our responsibility and connection to all beings. And the frequency of Love holds it all together.
The influence and inspiration for Becky Robbins in her art comes from the eternal quest to discover the pathways to the Infinite Intelligence and ancient wisdom. It is part of her creative process to meditate and seek the revelation of the internal answers to the external questions of life, represent them via art and also writing.
Bald Eagle. Decoy and fine art influences combine to make this Eagle. Woodburning gives it that extra detail.
Red Tailed Hawk.
Power carved from Tupelo wood, hand sanded and woodburned. Painted with Oils.
A more Naturalistic Attempt at at A red tailed Hawk. His brother is flying out with him from Massachusetts.
Part of a pair, an attempt at a more realistic rendering of a Red Tailed Hawk. Fine art meets decorative, meets decoy.
Rob Scott is an Artist and Musician Based in Provincetown Massachusetts. BFA Tyler School of Art Masters in Modern American music at Longy School of Music, he discovered carving while painting houses when a client turned out to be a decoy carving Instructor.
In addition to Wild, Sküt is also showing Deep, a ocean animal art exhibition featuring some of his favorite curious ocean creatures. Check out Wild at TAG Gallery April 13 – May 8, 2021.