Wildlife art by Andrew Mackay
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Contrary to popular belief, among contemporary artists there are far more figurative artists than there are abstract artists, and quite a few of those figurative artists have acquired an excellent technique. No, the typical contemporary artist is not a paint-splashing abstract maniac, but someone who paints in a contemplated manner and in many cases has had a decent education in art. Who is rare, however, is the figurative artist who can give his/her art a personal touch, which may be why English wildlife artist Andrew Mackay stands out among the vast numbers of wildlife artists that can be found on the Internet.
Andrew's short-eared owl painting seems like an exercise in perspective. The vanishing point is obscured by the owl, which may contribute to the owl's majestical and commanding status in this picture, as well as the way he is looking past and over us. This simple composition has a wonderful sense of depth and I like the way how the artist has pictured the twisting of the wire.
If there's one thing that characterizes the North-West European landscape, it are the intense greens of the algae that grow on trees and wooden fences. Andrew is particularly good at visualizing how the algae interact with the texture of the wood, look at the poles in the owl-painting, as well as the tree base in the painting on the right. A true figurative painter enjoys portraying the randomness of nature, in which decay and creation go hand in hand.
While distances are small, Andrew's painting of the lime hawk moth still has a sense of depth, and subtle lighting.
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