by Clarke C. Jones

I can’t draw stick figures without a ruler. So when I look at the illustrations thataccompany articles I write for this magazine, I wonder, “How does the artist see thedetails to draw or paint that I don’t see?” To me, a picture may be worth a thousand

words because there are at least a thousand details to notice—the coarse texture in the strands ofan animal’s fur; the soft feathering of a bird’s wing in flight; the subtle variations of color in thescales of a freshly caught fish. e Virginia artists presented here have the ability to capture oncanvas or paper not only the visual aspects of fauna and flora, but also the mood or vagaries ofthe moment.

Brushes WithNature

“They should go with their hearts and paint what they like.” Michael Simon

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You will also find Michael’s illustrationsin John Gierach’s first book, Trout Bum,considered a cult classic, and Norm Zeigler’sbook, Rivers of Shadow, Rivers of Sun.However, Michael believes his greatestaccomplishment may be his illustrations inthe book Freshwater Wilderness: YellowstoneFishes & eir World by John Varley and PaulSchullery. “at book, including over 20illustrations of native and non-native fish infull-color page,” says Simon, “is the basic texton the fish in the Yellowstone River.” Formore information, go to: www.michaelsimonanglingart.com.

Spike KnuthIf you have read this magazine over the yearsor received a Virginia Wildlife Calendar, youlikely have seen Spike Knuth’s art. Spikeworked with the Department for 29 years,doing everything from audio-visual super -vision to information officer to wildlife artistuntil his retirement in 2003. Spike’s artworkhas appeared in many magazines and on thecovers of various hunting and fishing catalogs.

And in the late 1970s, if you just happened tovisit Edinburgh, Scotland, you might havenoticed his illustration, “Yellowthroats,” as thecover art on Edinburgh Today.

Sitting in Spike’s studio in Mechanics -ville, you have the opportunity to see how hiscreative process works and how important it isto him to get the technique right.

“I am still learning,” says Spike after 50years of painting. “Having observed theoutdoors from an early age as an illustrator Isee too much, and then try to put it all in mypaintings.”

Most duck hunters know that it is usuallya gray or misty day when they are going to seeducks. e difficulty for the artist, as Knuthpoints out, “ …is to paint what a duck reallylooks like in fog or shadows, and still be ableto show what people buying waterfowl artexpect to see—what they believe they know aduck will look like in that environment.”

Over the years, Knuth has donatedapproximately 500 original works of art toDucks Unlimited and in 2005 received theGolden Teal Award by DU for his contri -butions to the organization.

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Spike Knuth

“I am still learning.” Spike Knuth

Michael SimonMichael Simon was destined to become anillustrator. After all, he was attending collegeart classes before he was six years old. “Myfather, who painted all his life, taught art atVirginia State College (now University) inEttrick, Virginia, and would bring me to hisclasses with crayons, pencils, and paper,” relatesSimon.

Michael describes himself as a “figuralwatercolorist” and is well known for his vividrenderings of fish, especially trout. His workhas been featured in the publications Fly Rod& Reel, Fly Fisherman, and Virginia Wildlife. In1984, he was chosen to create the limitededition poster honoring the 25th anniversary ofTrout Unlimited.

After asking Michael if he has any advicefor young artists, he emphasizes, “ey shouldgo with their hearts and paint what they like.Instead of going for a fine arts degree—as Idid—I would suggest they focus more oncommercial art and commercial communi -cations because you would be taught how to dowork for the commercial field and how to goout and look for that kind of work. ese areall things I had to learn the hard way.”

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John ObolewiczAs the winner of multiple Virginia DuckStamp Awards, John Obolewicz feels he hasdeveloped a style of watercolor that is prettymuch his own. “It is not one that one wouldcall ‘traditional’. I tend to use some gouacheand I tend to make the colors a littlestronger.” He aims constantly to perfect hiscraft—to make his next painting better thanhis last. “One of the things I strive for, if I cando it, is to try to create some kind of mood,whether it is the lighting of an early morningor evening. I then start with a detaileddrawing and work toward the paintingprocess,” John explains.

Obolewicz, who lives in PowhatanCounty with his family, has a BFA from NewPaltz State University of New York. Hismother was a dress designer who taught himhow to draw when he was ten years old.“Over time you learn how to paint better,”says John, whose career has spanned almost30 years now. “You start looking at paintingsnot so much for whether the subject iswaterfowl or dog, but what is the mood oratmosphere.”

learn as much about the subject as I can—inevery possible way. I read and study about thesubject and photograph it as much as I can.”

Kim’s fondness for animals and plantsmake them particularly enjoyable subjects forher to paint. Chesapeake Bay Magazinepublished her artwork to accompany theAngler’s Almanac column by John PageWilliams, as well as “A Summer Guest” byWendy Mitman Clarke. She has illustratedtwo books: Perry’s Baltimore Adventure, writ -ten by Peter Dans, and While a Tree Grew byElaine Rice Bachmann.

For any person interested in a career inillustration, Harrell recommends that, “If youdecide to make art your job, approach itrealistically, learning and practicing thebusiness skills required of an artist in additionto your drawing and painting skills.” Sur -prisingly, Kim takes the most pride not in aparticular piece of artwork she has created,but any time one of her paintings eitherinspires or influences someone else or helpsthem learn. “I don’t hear about it often, but itis very gratifying when someone makes thetime and effort to tell me about it,” shemaintains. Contact Kim Harrell at flyingfish1@erols.com.

For those interested in becoming anartist, Knuth recommends that you read andstudy about the subject in which you areinterested. “Also, look closely at other art anddo a lot of sketching,” he adds. More at:www.knuthwildlifeart.com.

Kim HarrellKim Harrell’s affinity for art began as a youngchild. “My mother introduced me to theVirginia Museum of Fine Arts when I startedelementary school, and I began classes therefrom the first grade on,” says Harrell. “She wasa great lover of art—and made sure I wasexposed to great art.” Kim studied art as anelective all through high school in HenricoCounty, and while enrolled in a “gifted”program, had the privilege of meeting AndrewWyeth and his wife in their home.

A graduate of Virginia CommonwealthUniversity, Kim received a Bachelor of Sciencein Biology and then a BA in Art. When I askKim about her favorite art subjects and howshe approaches a new illustration for a client,she replies, “First of all, I need to understandwhat the client is looking for from me. en I

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Kim Harrell

“My mother was a great lover of art—and made sure I was exposed to great art.” Kim Harrell

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John admires Robert Bateman, OgdenPleissner, and Bob Kuhn and he recom -mends that new artists, “Paint things thatkeep you interested and excited, thenpractice and study techniques used by otherartists. I will always be learning and lookingto find new and different ways to paint.”

View John’s art at Green Top SportingGoods and on greeting cards by Pumper -nickel Press. Contact John Obolewicz atJohnart@comcast.net.

Bill Bolin“I don’t really remember when I haven’tmessed around with drawing and painting,”recalls Bill Bolin, while taking a break in hisstudio in Chesterfield County. “I have a storymy mother saved of a man duck huntingthat I did when I was four—done withcolored pencils. I guess I really becameserious about painting around the early1970s.”

Although Bill has never had any formaltraining, his colorful paintings and drawingsof waterfowl and decoys have made him oneof the most sought-after artists at DucksUnlimited venues for many years. His workhas been featured in Southern Living andVirginia Wildlife magazines.

“I like to paint all sorts of wildlife,” Billsays. “I started out doing anything waterfowlrelated and have since evolved into all sorts ofanimals and plants.” In one of his favoritepaintings, the award-winning “Mrs. Lovett’sGeraniums,” Bill combines the best of both—decoys on a windowsill alongside a pot of redgeraniums.

Bolin advises artists, “If you love it, keepat it … always strive for doing your best. Prac -tice may not make you a perfect painter, butit does make you a better painter.” He likes theworks of William Redd Taylor and JohnJames Audubon but relies on his ownmethods to create the paintings so manypeople treasure. Go to: www.billbolinwatercolors.com.

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John Obolewicz

I will always be learning and looking to find new and different ways to paint.” John Obolewicz

Bill Bolin

“I started out doing anything waterfowl related and have since evolved into all sorts of animals and plants.” Bill Bolin

David Wickline, III

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seems today, cave images allow us a glimpseof what that unknown artist experienced. Inthe 1800s, the artistry of John JamesAudubon and his son, John WoodhouseAudubon, refined our understanding of thenature of wildlife. For those of us who do notlive in a rural setting or are unable to spendtime afield, wildlife artists and illustratorscontinue to offer us their personal inter -pretation of the spectacular life inhabiting ourforests, fields, and streams in ways that nophotograph can. •

Clarke C. Jones spends his spare time with his blackLabrador retriever, Luke, hunting up good stories.You can visit Clarke and Luke on their website atwww.clarkecjones.com.

less is more. Wickline reveals, “is has ledme to working more impressionistically andabstractly.” e cover of the January/February2013 issue of this magazine—created byWickline—featured a vibrant scene of a flyfisherman releasing his catch mid-stream.Even though David has won a number ofawards for his paintings, he enthusiasticallyconsiders cover illustration a pinnacle in hisprogression as an artist.

David exhibits his paintings at LinDorArts in downtown Roanoke. Contact him atDavidwickline@hotmail.com or go to:www.davidwicklineart.com.

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If you include cave paintings, wildlife art is atleast 30,000 years old. As primitive as that art

David Wickline, IIIDavid Wickline grew up around art inLynchburg because his father was an architectand painter. Wickline learned on his own bystudying the fine works of those artists heloved, such as Winslow Homer and his overallfavorite, Richard Schmid.

“Ultimately, any artist has to teachthemself, although a good mentor can help alot,” notes David. “Sometimes you can’t seeyour work for what it is and you need anexperienced set of eyes to give you feedback.”

He began his art career by working inwatercolors but now has switched to oils.David finds oil painting challenging, but sayshe has taught himself to mentally edit out allthe unnecessary clutter of a subject, so that

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“Sometimes you can’t see your work for what it is and you need an experienced set of eyes to give you feedback.” David Wickline, III

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