THEIR WORLD | KYLE SIMS
THEIR WORLD | KYLE SIMS S E P T E M B E R 7 - S E P T E M B E R 2 0 , 2 015 JACKSON HOLE, WYOMING
O P E N H O U S E : S E P T E M B E R 19 T H , F RO M 5 - 7 P M A L L PA I N T I N G S S O L D B Y F I X E D P R I C E D R AW AT 6 : 3 0 P M
V I E W A D D I T I O N A L W O R K S A T W W W. T R A I L S I D E G A L L E R I E S . C O M
In his Montana studio, Kyle Sims stands in front of his easel, the light streaming in through a bay of north facing windows that frame the highest peak in Montana’s Bridger Range. Known for his discipline and driven by a strong work ethic, a 40 plus hour work week in the studio is the norm for Sims. It is precisely this drive and determination that has landed the 35 year old painter in the enviable position as one of the country’s top contributors to the American wildlife art scene.
In the ten years since the gallery first began representing Sims, the steady and deliberate progression of his work is unmistakable. The passing years have witnessed a maturity in technical detail and with it a deeper understanding of subject matter and a well balanced approach to color, values, light and overall composition.
Painting with a sense of immediacy, Sims takes us into the realm of North America’s most magnificent wildlife with his finely depicted scenery. An avid outdoorsman, he often paints on location, allowing him to develop a precise color palette based on his observations in the field. Back in the studio, these studies allow him to capture a painterly, yet realistic interpretation of his subjects for his larger easel paintings.
As you view this catalog, my hope is that you too, will be drawn into the beauty and mystery of our natural world as captured by Kyle Sims in this new collection of compelling wildlife narratives.
Maryvonne Leshe, Managing Partner
JACKSON HOLE PO BOX 1149, 130 E. BROADWAY, JACKSON, WY 83001 (307) 733.3186 SCOTTSDALE 7330 SCOTTSDALE MALL, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85251 (480) 945.7751
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A MEETING OF HEAVYWEIGHTS, 54 X 80 INCHES, OIL
“I’ve witnessed a situation such as this several times, with one meeting resulting in a fairly substantial fight. My intent with this particular painting is to have the viewer feel like they are right there with these impressisve elk and hopefully feel the same excitement, nervousness, and feelings of anticipation that I feel when I am observing them. I actually spent a great deal of time with these two particular elk. They never (as far as I know) met up in a situation like the one depicted in this painting. The elk in the foreground was nicknamed Brutus due to his temperament. The other bull was named 10, due to the number 10 on his tag in his ear. I was able to observe 10 for several years along with his crosstown rival bull number 6, who was infamous for chasing people and hitting cars in Mammoth Hot Springs - Yellowstone National Park.” 3
A DAY IN THE SLOUGH, 36 X 56 INCHES, OIL
“Bison have evolved in a way that causes them to rut during the hottest part of the year. I imagine that most of the reasons for this are tied to birth timings and enabling the calves to have their best chance for survival. Given that these animals have such a dark coat, and dark colors tend to absorb more sun, I imagine these giants must get very hot during their most active time of the year, so a dip in the cool streams must provide welcome relief. This particular stream is the Slough Creek of Yellowstone National Park. It is a great place to find bison year round.�
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THE HIGH AND MIGHTY, 60 X 40 INCHES, OIL
“The Bighorn Sheep, from my perspective, always seem to carry an air about them. I’m sure that I am anthropomorphizing them a bit, but they really appear to have an arrogant way about them. They enjoy staring you down from their lofty heights and often do so in a group arranged in a V pattern. I’ve seen this many times. They just sit there and stare, with their noses held high.”
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WIND RIVER SUMMER, 30 X 34 INCHES, OIL
“My family and I spent a week in the Wind River Mountain Range last summer, fishing and exploring the countryside. We took in many hikes, including the famous Cirque of Towers area and many others that were very striking. What I really took away from that trip was the abundance of wildflowers, including all the Lupine and Yarrow. The Lupine was in bloom all around us, thanks to the moist summer and created this great color harmony with the granite boulders and verdant hillsides. Black bears are known to frequent the southern end of the Wind Rivers and I felt that the deep, rich coat of the black bear would harmonize perfectly within this landscape.�
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OVER THE HILLS, 12 X 24 INCHES, OIL
“This painting is a study for a larger, more complex piece that I plan to do down the road which will feature several wolves. Although a small work, this study has plenty going on in the background. My intent is to give the viewer the feeling that this wolf and the pack for my eventual, larger piece are on the move, exploring their world and driven by deep seeded survival instinct. Life is constantly in motion and needs to be if it wants to continue on.�
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UNDER THE TWILIGHT, 24 X 28 INCHES, OIL
“Evening can be a special time of the day. The wind usually calms down and once it does, a peacefulness prevails. I probably feel this way because I grew up in one of the windiest areas of the lower 48: Cheyenne, Wyoming. About two years ago, on a fall day, I had an opportunity to spend some time with a bobcat in such an environment. The contrast of the bobcat and the rocky surface juxtaposed against the twilight sky was very eyecatching. I was able to embellish the scene by adding the crescent moon to the right, thus giving the painting a secondary focal point. The moon not only adds interest, but adds depth as well.�
APPROACHING BUGLER, 34 X 48 INCHES, OIL
“Hopefully the title implies the idea for this piece. It is always enjoyable to suggest that a great deal more is occurring outside the piece. I want the viewer to feel immersed in the scene, as if you were a fly passing by. While the idea is not new, it is always exciting to observe a scene such as this. The tension is quite palpable!�
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INTO THE GORGE, 26 X 34 INCHES, OIL
“My wife and I were traveling to the Oregon coast a few years ago and stopped to check out The Gorge in eastern Washington. It was so beautiful, albeit hot. The beauty in shadows was what I took away from that visit and it has remained with me since. When I was thinking about ideas for a cougar painting, that memory of the Gorge leapt to the forefront of my mind. While I had to do some rearranging of items in my reference, this was one of those paintings where the idea practically fell into my lap.�
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THE OLD BOAR, 26 X 40 INCHES, OIL
“I was out on a hike in Yellowstone with a couple of friends near the Lamar River and definitely had bears on the mind. How could you not when rambling through an area that is loaded with grizzlies? So, once I arrived back home and started rummaging through my reference from that trip, I couldn’t imagine placing anything else in this scene that is as strong of a representative of this region.”
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BATH TIME, 24 X 26 INCHES, OIL
“Of all the species that I depict in my work, I relate to the cat and the otter the most. On the surface, the cat is viewed as not a very social animal. While this can be true to some cats, other cats can in fact be quite social. However, their proclivity to interact with others will always be superseded by the river otter. They are quirky, curious, and appear to take the opportunity to have fun whenever possible. In this setting, they have settled into a riverbank for some down time and personal maintenance. Like cats, they are very mindful with their grooming.�
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FRESH POWDER, 24 X 26 INCHES, OIL
“This is a painting I’ve been wanting to realize for a few years now. My wife and I have been doing some snowshoeing the past few winters and it is especially enjoyable after a fresh snow fall. The feeling of being out in an environment like that feels rejuvenating as the landscape takes on a new appearance with this pure and clean, crisp new coat. While out there on snow shoes, I am always reminded of our neighbor in the forest, the lynx.”
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AUGUST RUSH, 20 X 30 INCHES, OIL
“When you’re out during the hottest part of the year and during the bison rut, you might see some dust in the distance. Once you further investigate this disruption, you might see what looks like a bison train/chain. It is most likely a line of several bulls, all of them in hot pursuit of a cow that has come into heat. It is during this moment that you realize just how fast they are, with speeds in the neighborhood of 30 mph. It is also impressive to witness how long such a large mammal can maintain the speed. The bison never ceases to entertain.”
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PRETTY LADY, 12 X 18 INCHES, OIL
“ I have always had an affinity for cats in general, but especially the large cats. My interest lies in their shapes and their movement, and particularly their eyes. This is another piece where I took many artistic liberties and strayed away from my photographic reference. The photo of the cat was good, but I was not happy with the setting. I simplified the background and then had some fun with paint in the foreground. I was very happy with the final result.�
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NOVEMBER STIRRINGS, 28 X 28 INCHES, OIL
“These mulies came to put on a show in front of our house last November. This definitely marks the first time I’ve used material that was literally out of our front door. It was very personal as I’ve been observing these animals for 6 years now and have finally put them to canvas.”
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THE OTTER ZONE, 13 1/2 X 19 1/2 INCHES, OIL
“ River otters live much of their life in, around, and under water. It’s how they’ve evolved and therefore, survived. It’s always such a treat to be out near a river watching bison or some other mammal, and then all of a sudden a group of otters start popping their heads out of the water nearby. They are very curious mammals and will often hang around for a while, searching for food and at times, showing interest in all the other beings around them. They are a very unique animal and one I will never tire of painting.”
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P R I C E L I ST
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APPROACHING BUGLER, 34 X 48 INCHES, OIL ......................................................................................................
$17,000
A DAY IN THE SLOUGH, 36 X 56 INCHES, OIL .........................................................................................................
$24,000
A MEETING OF HEAVYWEIGHTS, 54 X 80 INCHES, OIL ........................................................................................
$45,000
AUGUST RUSH, 20 X 30 INCHES, OIL ........................................................................................................................
$8,200
BATH TIME, 24 X 26 INCHES, OIL ...............................................................................................................................
$8,500
FRESH POWDER, 24 X 26 INCHES, OIL ....................................................................................................................
$8,500
INTO THE GORGE, 26 X 34 INCHES, OIL ..................................................................................................................
$11,000
NOVEMBER STIRRINGS, 28 X 28 INCHES, OIL ........................................................................................................
$9,000
OVER THE HILLS, 12 X 24 INCHES, OIL ....................................................................................................................
$4,200
PRETTY LADY, 12 X 18 INCHES, OIL ..........................................................................................................................
$3,400
THE HIGH AND MIGHTY, 60 X 40 INCHES, OIL ........................................................................................................
$25,000
THE OLD BOAR, 26 X 40 INCHES, OIL ......................................................................................................................
$11,500
THE OTTER ZONE, 13 1/2 X 19 1/2 INCHES, OIL ...................................................................................................
$3,800
UNDER THE TWILIGHT, 24 X 28 INCHES, OIL .........................................................................................................
$9,000
WIND RIVER SUMMER, 30 X 34 INCHES, OIL .........................................................................................................
$12,000
KYLE SIMS
Growing up just outside Cheyenne, WY, Kyle Sims was enthralled with wildlife painting from a young age. His mother, always encouraging his interest in art, took him to museums, galleries, and art events. Sims recalls one mesmerizing moment when he first saw the detailed wildlife imagery of Belgian illustrator and painter Carl Brenders. “I was fascinated with how Brenders was able to maintain a softness but also create a hyper-realistic look,� Sims recalls.
Sims first experimented in watercolor, then gouache, and then acrylics, attempting to produce the same kind of realism he admired. By his early teens, he had made up his mind to have a career in art. In the ensuing years, Sims took workshops with artists who became mentors and friends, and who encouraged the young artist to paint on location. It was after meeting wildlife artist Paco Young (1958-2005) that Sims began to focus on the elements of a painting, in particular the colors and the spontaneity of sketching and painting from life. Sims began painting with oils and shifted his focus from a tightly rendered approach to a looser, painterly style. With experience, he has learned the best places and times to observe, sketch, and photograph his animal subjects.
Kyle Sims participates in several prestigious museum venues including the Masters of the American West Exhibition and Sale at the Autry National Center, the Prix De West at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and the Western Visions show held at the National Museum of Wildlife Art. He is also an annual exhibitor at the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale held in Cody, Wyoming.
In 2009, he won the Major General and Mrs. Don Pittman Wildlife Award at the Prix de West and Best of Show at the Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale. He was also the recipient of the Bob Kuhn Wildlife Award at the 2013 Masters of the American West Exhibition held at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles, California.
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JACKSON HOLE PO BOX 1149, 130 E. BROADWAY, JACKSON, WY 83001 (307) 733.3186 SCOTTSDALE 7330 SCOTTSDALE MALL, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85251 (480) 945.7751