Artist Eric Wilson, Specialties wildlife paintings and portraiture
I paint only the things I love and the things that inspire me the most. I am known mostly for my paintings of wildlife, but I also enjoy painting portraits and doing the occasional Space painting. As a young boy, I watched the Apollo Astronauts walking on the moon and it inspired me to a new world of endless possibilities. I knew I wanted to be an Artist from a very early age. It was obvious to those around me that painting and drawing were my talents and it seemed obvious to me, that I would become a professional Artist one day.
Earning a living from art did not seem a safe career path to my parents however, and I was encouraged to find a ‘real’ job, rather than to pursue childhood dreams of becoming an Artist. I took the advice and became a Policeman. I quite enjoyed the excitement of such work, and to everyones surprise, I did rather well, but deep down within me the passion for painting had not gone away, and when the time came for my promotion to Sergeant I shocked everyone by resigning and declaring that I would now dedicate myself to a career in Art. It seemed that I had lost my mind but I have not looked back.
My first passion after painting was my love of nature and so it seemed only natural for me to pursue a career painting wildlife. I never had much of a business plan. I just knew that I wanted my art to be authentic and so I embarked upon many adventurous research trips taking me through Africa, North and South America, India and Nepal, the jungles of South East Asia and even to the Arctic where I studied Polar Bears. I have been charged and knocked off my feet by a Silverback gorilla, chased by a Rhino and almost eaten by lions. It has been a wonderful if sometimes hair raising adventure, balanced by long hours painting the animals I have seen, back in my studio.
My career has seen many highlights and I have proved to myself and others that a career in Art is not something to shy away from if you honestly feel that it is your true vocation, but for me the most important thing has always been simply to improve at what I do. This has meant more to me than the financial rewards. My greatest rewards have come from within. Seeing my work progress and then seeing that hard work connecting with others.
A moment of great pride for me, was to receive the following words from Commander Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, when he received a painting I had done of him on the Lunar Surface. ~ Eric Wilson
“Eric, Your painting is exquisite. It captures the essence of exactly like it was – the shadows, the wrinkles in the suit, the flag, the mountains, the footprints –all take me back to a place I used to call home”.
