Il Paesaggio 12"x16" giclee print $125

Il Paesaggio means the landscape in Italian. This tuscan landscape painting was done for an Italian-themed website that will soon be launched and feature this painting in the form of 9" x 12" giclee prints on canvas. The original is sold, however, prints will retail for $125 and can be purchased at the link below.
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Wigeon Remarque #2 2" x 2" acrylic

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Here is a second remarque of a wigeon - this time in flight. Remarques are similar to my daily paintings in that they are miniature and take about a day to complete. However, they pose a bit more of a challenge in that they are so small it gets hard to correctly accomplish the level of detail I like. For example, something like creating the subtle color changes that foster the illusion of roundness (such as the shading on the underbelly shadows) can take more time to achieve.
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Wigeon Remarque #1 2" x 2" acrylic

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This remarque is one of several that I am finishing up for the the 2010 Texas Duck Stamp prints. If you are not familiar with what a remarque is, it is a tiny original painting completed in the margin of the print making it a unique piece of artwork which, in turn, increases the value of the print substantially. If you are interested in owning one of my limited edition prints and having it remarqued, feel free to email me - pmathios@comcast.net.

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Junco 5" x 7" acrylic

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A dark-eyed junco rests on a cool, overcast autumn morning. These birds, which are members of the sparrow family, can be found throughout North America. In fact, they are one of the most numerous species of birds totalling over 630 million individuals. Most people notice them as they flock together during winter months. Their plumage seems to vary from coast to coast and the markings of this bird are of the 'Oregon Junco'.
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Suisun Evening 5" x 7" acrylic $265

Evening descends on California's Suisun Marsh as the last rays of sunlight escape through the overcast. This area has special meaning to me as a grew up hunting and exporing the marsh, which is one of the largest brackish water marshes in the United States. As a kid, I used to explore every nook and cranny in search of anything I could find be it different birds (and there are alot) or small mammals. This area and it's wildlife has been the subject of numerous paintings through the years and will be for years to come as it is where my passion for wildlife and wild places started.
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Downy Woodpeckers 5" x 5" acrylic

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A pair of downy woodpeckers scales the side of a tree. Originally, this painting only had one woodpecker in it (the one on the side), but it seemed too rigid. After thinking about how to add more interest, I decided to add the second bird which is strategically placed to move the viewers eye around the painting. The bird is looking toward the one on the left and the angle of its body posture lends to the directional movement. The other elements like the tree branch and the hint of thinner branches in the back assist with the flow of the eye as well.

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Carolina Wren 5"x5" acrylic $245

This carolina wren was foraging in the brush around a wetland in Maryland and when it worked its way up this tree to this natural cavity, I thought I had found a nesting site. The morning light lit up the buff-colored breast and I knew I had to paint it, especially since it is the first carolina wren that I have seen in person.

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Autumn Wetland 5" x 7" acrylic $265

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Falls colors are changing and the last remnants of the morning fog are giving way to blue skies. This painting was done intentionally in a looser style as an experiment to see how realistic I could make something while painting quickly and loosely.
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Evening Marsh 5" x 7" acrylic

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Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge basks in dusks final grasp... I have been inspired lately by landscape paintings and am excited to do a few of my own including a few in oils. This particular part of the refuge is off the main auto route and out quite a way. I had the place to myself and got a bit too far because part of the road I was on was flooded over. Apparently, the Chesapeake Bay has a bit of a surge during windy high tides. I tried driving through the floods a bit, but I felt my little rental car was a bit to low to the ground to handle anything deeper than a foot so I turned around.
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Tranquil Evening 5" x 7" acrylic

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A solitary duck glides through the calm evening water. Marshes at this time of day (as well as at dawn) are a special place and hold special memories for me. The abundunt life, the smells and the sounds all lend to a unique sense of tranquility. I observed a similar scene to this while visiting the East Coast last week and touring Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
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Chickadee and Sumac 8" x 10" acrylic

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This painting depicting a chickadee foraging on sumac berries is currently exhbiting at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, MD. The colors of the original painting have been lost a bit in this photograph as the background features warmer tones of greens and ocres to compliment the red berries.

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Meadow's Edge 5" x 7" acrylic

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I saw this bull elk in Yellowstone National Park. The elk have become harder to spot outside of Mammoth Hot Springs but this lone bull was found on the edge of Gibbon Meadow.
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On the Hunt 5" x 7" acrylic

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This healthy coyote was faniscinating to watch as he hunted his way through the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park. Every now and then he would pounce at an unsuspecting meal in the tall grass. Pronghorn didn't seem to mind his presence although they did keep a watchful eye.

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Winter Woodies 9" x 12" acrylic

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This painting will be available November 12th at Collector's Covey in Dallas, TX for their annual miniature painting exhibition. When I first saw this spot while exploring this shallow lake on Sauvie Island, I thought "Wow! this would look fantastic with a group of wood ducks." - and the painting idea was born. As it so happens there were nesting boxes in some of the surrounding trees, so I knew that they used the area at times, especially in the spring. Ultimately, the intricate, reflective patterns created by the fallen trees and the marsh grasses are what inspired this scene and twelve wood ducks filled the area as I imagined.
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Pintail Pair 5" x 5" acrylic $245

Northern pintails are among the earliest nesters after arriving on their northern breeding grounds. They also migrate incredibly far with many reaching Mexico and Central America during the winter months. This pair was seen in the Willamette Valley in Oregon (where I live) in the same spot as the birds from the previous post. In this painting, I used their graceful plumage to lead the viewers eyes into the painting creating the illusion of depth. The subtle habitat also lends to the illusion and indicates how shallow the water is.
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Pintail Trio 5" x 5" acrylic

This painting will be available through Collector's Covey in Dallas Texas.

Drake pintails have such graceful lines that I will never tire of painting them. Here a trio of pintail uses one of my favorite wetlands. Every time I visit this spot (in winter) they are there, sometimes in huge numbers. They are used to cars so they are easy to sketch and photograph. I have a spotting scope that attaches to the window of my car that I will look through while I draw the birds. The second the car door opens though, they fly!

Morning Web 5" x 5" acrylic

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Sometimes the subtle things in life are inspiring like a spider web straining under the weight of morning dew. The spider itself is in hiding as it's web is not as effective in these conditions. The pattern is amazing nonetheless and inspired this painting.
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Signs of the Season 6" x 6" acrylic

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This painting was done as a commission where several sketches were completed and the idea was agreed upon. I enjoy sharing a vision and creating paintings that people will enjoy for years (or even generations) to come. In this case a female goldfinch is returning to her nest to line it with some freshly found thin grasses. The model for the painting actually collected these grasses from a planter right outside of my studio window this past spring. The pink crabtree blossoms help to offset the other primary blues and yellows in the painting.
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Brown Trout 12" x 12" acrylic $650

Number two in the trout series. This one features a brown trout and a series of favorite nymphs. The little yellow stone, pheasant tail, prince nymph, zug bug, and gold-ribbed hare's ear. These popular flies catch a lot of fish because they represent the insects in their larval stage.
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Misty Marsh - Egret 7" x 5" acrylic

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A snowy egret rests along a misty marsh. This elegant bird is at ease as it's head is tucked in. I saw this landscape over the weekend at a local wildlife area and added the egret to it as almost an afterthought as I wanted it to be a part of the landscape.
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Rainbow Trout 12" x 12" acrylic

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This is the start of a new series of rustic, contemporary trout paintings on 12" sqaure canvas that also features popular trout flies. In this painting, they are a series of dry flies that includes a stimulator, a yellow humpy, a royal coachman, an adams, and an elk hair caddis. Other paintings will include wet flies, streamers and emergers to go along with a brown trout, brook trout and cutthroat trout.
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Moonrise at Sunset 5" x 5" acrylic

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As I turned the corner onto my street last night, I was taken by this breathtaking moment. The moon was rising as the last rays of sunlight graced the trees at the end of the street. Moments of inspiration can strike at any time and I had to quickly capture the moment so it was done in a bit of an impressionistic style - more like sketching with paint. The whole painting was done with a 1/2" flat brush.
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Wood Duck Pair 5" x 7" acrylic

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Luckily, wood ducks are common around my neighborhood as we are surrounded by wooded waterways on three sides. This allows the opportunity to see one of my favorite ducks and one of the most decorated birds in North America on a regular basis. Every summer, wood ducks (and all other ducks) go through a molt and lose their spectacular color but, now in September, they begin to regain their colors. Here a male and female swim together. This 'daily painting' took a bit more than a day because of the amount of color and the fact that there were two ducks involved. The female is quite colorful in her own right.
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Spring Creek 5" x 5" acrylic

SOLD An icy, spring fed creek winds it's way through a summer mountain meadow. Water in these creeks is usually crystal clear and if high enough in elevation, it is usually drinkable and very good. Streams like this are vital to wildlife such as deer and elk and native trout. This particular stream had a nice 14" trout feeding just behind the fallen wood. My Website

Heavenly Coast 5" x 7" acrylic

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As a winter storm breaks up over the Pacific, the setting sun peaks through the clouds creating a dramatic landscape. Words cannot describe the inspiration I felt when the light created this breathtaking scene, so I did my best to describe it in paint. It was amazing - perhaps a slice of heaven on earth!
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Badia 4" x 10" graphite on paper

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Located in the Tuscany region of Italy near Gaiole in Chianti, Badia a Coltibuono is a former monestary that has been transformed into a farmhouse-villa. There is an amazing abbey garden that is laid out as an ancient enclosed garden (on the backside of this view)where geometric box hedges surround beds of aromatic and medicinal plants in classic Tuscan garden style. The new owners produce fantastic wines that are fairly well-known and this drawing was created to be fittingly used as an image on a wine label.
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The Watchman 4" x 4" acrylic $225

Keeping this one to the 'daily painting' format of completing it in a day or less was a challenge. This one started at 5 am and was just finished (after 5pm). I just kept adding ducks to create an almost abstract composition. Even when waterfowl seem to be sleeping there is always a sentry on the lookout for danger. The light is getting low as evening darkness overtakes what was a foggy day. The ducks are sleeping along a shoreline but will soon be up and flying to their favorite feeding spot.

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Pintails 5" x 5" acrylic

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A trio of drake pintails loafs in the cool mid-morning sun on a shallow sheet of water. My goal for this painting was to create the feeling of sneaking a peak into the pintails world. Normally, duck paintings show the birds in somewhat of a perfect posture, but with this painting I used different body positioning to guide the viewer's eye back toward the more 'hollywood' posed pintail.

First Snow 5" x 5" acrylic $245

This bear has fattened up on salmon and berries and is ready to survive the oncoming winter as the first snow begins to fall. He walks the rocky shoreline in search of a final meal as a couple of ravens squawk in front of him all the while knowing their wings can bring them out of harms way. Another summer season comes to end...

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Backwater Mallard 9" x 12" acrylic $1400

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The water in this painting has taken a loooong time! It is finally getting close to being finished so I've decided to post it here the on the blog (but will continue to hone in the final details over the next couple of days). It surely has been a challenge creating a rainy environment for this mallard. To create the feeling of inclement weather, there are raindrops beaded up on the ducks oily feathers, numerous water rings, drops and even a couple of bubbles in the water. The autumn leaves are soaked and submerged just under the surface as well. Of note, this painting was submitted unfinished (even more so than here) back in June to the Oregon Ducks Unlimited art competition and it won by one vote in the unfinished state (whew!). Prints of this painting will be available sometime in late November/early December.

Incoming Wigeon 4" x 4" acrylic

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A pair of wigeon is joining three males who are resting calmly. This spot has been deemed safe and the postures of the ducks on the glassy water show they are at ease. I originally did this painting with only two birds coming in, but decided not to post it because something seemed to be missing. After looking at the painting for a few weeks, I decided a few more on the water would add both depth and make the piece more interesting.
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Preening Egret - Art Gone Wild

The magazine, Art Business News, has included this image, Preening Egret, and several quotes in a recent article titled 'Art Gone Wild'. The article discusses quite a few things related to the wildlife art industry including a brief history and how it is doing in this economy. To view the article you can click here. It begins on page 26 and also showcases several images by some of my favorite wildlife artists. Enjoy!
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Greenwing Teal 5" x 5" acrylic $245

A drake greenwing teal rests on a shallow marsh. Shallow freshwtaer is a favorite habitat for this duck and often times they can congregate in the hundreds on such an area. I was inspired to paint this duck (one of my favorites) because of the semi-alert attitude he has. In scenes like this I strategically place the marsh grasses to create depth in the painting. Greenwing teal are the smallest of the North American ducks and fantastic fliers! They dart through the air like little jets.
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Sanderlings 5" x 5" acrylic

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In visiting the Oregon coast this past weekend, I was able to observe flocks of migrating shorebirds in some spectacular sunshine (a rarity there). This miniature painting of sanderlings was inspired by watching them scurry in and out with each wave feeding right at the oscillating water line. They move so quickly and almost have a toy like appearance has they chase each retreating wave.
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Cinnamon Teal 4" x 4" acrylic $225

Cinnamon teal migrate very early in the fall out of Oregon and start returning in April. Because they are such early migrants and travel all the way to Central America and Mexico, I rarely get a chance to see them when the majority of waterfowl are present. They are beautiful ducks and stand out like a gem when they are seen in wetlands. This male was seen on an overcast day and his plumage still seemed to pop, which is what I wanted to depict when I painted this scene.
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Through the Pines 5" x 7" acrylic $265

A black-capped chickadee flits through the lodgepole pine in search of an insect meal. They tend to feed by picking under the bark and inspecting pine cones for their unsuspecting prey. It seems that every time I am in the woods a flock will work through the area I'm in and I can hear them coming by their unmistakeable high-pitched chicka-dee-dee-dee.
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In for the Evening 14" x 18" acrylic

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This flock of four geese is just landing on glassy water. The foreground shows that another has just skimmed by across the surface on it's decent and the lower goose is just splashing into the stillness.

This painting was commissioned through the St. Lukes Jr. Auxiliary Auction and the proceeds were used to purchase an ultrasound machine for their hospital. You may wonder what a commissioned painting is? It is a custom painting specifically created for the client that are either from their photos, an idea they have in their mind or even a specific animal or scene they like. These pieces of art can be a pet portrait, a painting or drawing of children, or in this case a group of geese landing on a calm evening. For more information about getting your own personal drawing or painting and to see examples of some the commission I have done recently, you can visit the commissions link on my webisite.

On the Run - Pronghorn 8" x 10" acrylic $1100

A male pronghorn antelope runs down a female that has strayed from his harem. I saw this seen replay itself several times as another group of females was with another male not more than a mile away. The males were intent on keeping the does in a tight group. This painting will be available at the Ponderosa Art Gallery in Hamilton, MT for the 27th annual Fall Classics Show and will be exhibited alongside the work of Clyde Aspevig, Cyrus Afsary, Bill Anton and many other top artists from around the country. The show runs from August 14th - September 18th. For more information you can call (406) 375-1212.
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Palo Verde and Mourning Dove 9" x 12" acrylic

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A mourning dove rests in a palo verde tree which is common to the desert southwest. I was drawn to this idea by the strong position of the dove and the direction of the tree branches. Mourning doves are one of the most numerous and wide-ranging gamebirds. Their numbers total 350 million throughout N. America! They are one of my favorite birds to watch fly as they very graceful reminding me somewhat of a pintail. When they take off their wings make a distinctive whistling noise.
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