Tyler Thompson

Collectors of wildlife art are drawn to Tyler Thompson's style of high realism. During his young and flourishing career as a Canadian wildlife artist, Tyler has created over sixty images. Eleven of these originals have been marketed as limited edition prints. Several have sold out.
    Tyler has had the opportunity to study wildlife in several areas of Canada. He was born in Newfoundland, spent most of his childhood in London, Ontario, and now resides in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. Having spent much of his youth camping, fishing, and exploring the outdoors with his family, Tyler developed an awareness and appreciation for wildlife and the balance of nature.
    Tyler has always had an interest in art. As a child he loved to sketch and draw. In school, he consistently had top marks in all his art classes and was encouraged by his teachers to pursue a career as an artist. His early works consist of pencil sketches of cartoon characters and colour charcoal portraits of famous actors and singers. By the age of eighteen Tyler was doing charcoal portraits quite seriously. One of his first sales was to a collector in London who ordered twenty-two character portraits.
    During the fall of 1988, Tyler watched a television documentary on the works of Robert Bateman. This rekindled his interest in wildlife and started him on the track of wildlife painting. While he was influenced by artists such as Robert Bateman and Carl Brenders in the beginning, Tyler now feels confident in his own abilities and has created a style all his own. A self-taught artist, Tyler has experimented with different mediums and settled on his favourite, acrylics. "My goal is to have high realism in my paintings, yet create a striking image that makes one stop and take notice. My hope is that people who buy my work do so for the feeling that they get when they see it, and that they continue to enjoy it over the years."
    Before he puts his brush to the canvas, Tyler draws upon many resources for reference material. Personal experience is foremost. Tyler prefers to do field research whenever possible, spending time studying animals in their natural setting. Tyler also visits zoos to get a closer look at the animals. This assists him in achieving the striking detail that is his trademark. Photographs and reference books provide additional insights.

Betty Vepstas