Wild at heart
This story was featured in the May 2019 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art May 2019 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
Deer, foxes, coyotes, horses—Carrie Wild grew up observing all of these creatures scampering, grazing, or galloping across her family’s 26-acre horse farm in southern Michigan. She was a natural at working with animals, too; by age 12, she could handle and ride a stallion. As the daughter of veterinary-science researchers, Wild seemed destined for an animal-related profession herself. Add to that her love for creating art throughout her childhood, and it comes as no surprise that, today, she is a passionate wildlife and equine artist. “I’m an animal nerd,” the painter concedes with a chuckle.
Wild lives with her husband, wildlife photographer Jason Williams, in Jackson, WY, where they own Gallery Wild, a spacious fine-art gallery just off the town square. The couple’s shared interest in wildlife conservation takes them around the world to photograph endangered species ranging from great white sharks to snow leopards. But when the painter is in town, anyone who pops into Gallery Wild for a visit is likely to find her working at her easel in the back of the gallery—“so people can see my process and be a part of it,” she says.
Starting from the moment she witnesses an inspiring scene, Wild describes her creative process as emotionally driven. She lives along the edge of Grand Teton National Park, and the Antelope Flats conservation area is just a few miles down the road. “You’ll see bison up close there,” she says, “and when the sun is setting behind them, it casts these very cool silhouettes. The dust is flying, bugs are in the air—everything is shining. I try to portray that feeling in my work.”
A quintessential Carrie Wild painting features a herd of buffalo congregating peacefully in a wide-open landscape, or horses racing one another against the skyline, lit by the rising or setting sun. Many people have described her work as “modern rustic,” says Wild, whose influences range from Carl Rungius to Mark Rothko. Warm oranges and yellows, blazing reds, and deep purples and blues frequently imbue her large-scale, design-focused compositions. Acrylics enable the artist to paint swiftly, and her hand-fired acrylic glazes bring an added touch. Wild also applies gold leaf along the horizon lines and around the silhouettes of her animal subjects. In any room where one of her paintings hangs, she explains, the changing sunlight “finds the gold leaf and reflects back at you.” —Kim Agricola
representationGallery Wild, Jackson, WY; A. Banks Gallery, Bozeman, MT; www.carriewildart.com.
This story was featured in the May 2019 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art May 2019 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
MORE RESOURCES FOR ART COLLECTORS & ENTHUSIASTS• Subscribe to Southwest Art magazine• Learn how to paint & how to draw with downloads, books, videos & more from North Light Shop• Sign up for your Southwest Art email newsletter & download a FREE ebook
The post Emerging Artists | Carrie Wild appeared first on Southwest Art Magazine.