Portraying the Spirits of Animals and Nature 

By Ellen Samsell Salas

“I learned early on that I paint for what is inside me,” Janet Clukie said. “As an artist, you’re pouring yourself into your work. If you’re happy and excited about what you’re doing, it’s going to show in your work.”

For Clukie, it is the beauty of the ocean and woods, dogs, horses, and wildlife that speaks to her.

“I want to capture, in nature and animals, the feeling — what the animals are expressing. I want to get that mood to the viewer, so that as soon as they glance at the painting, they are captivated,” she said.

When looking at one of Clukie’s animal paintings, the viewer is drawn to the subject’s eyes, which immediately convey its personality and mood. A calf fills the canvas, facing the viewer and making direct yet gentle eye contact. A dog looks upward, patiently seeking his master’s approval. A massive bear stands quietly in the forest, at home in his domain. The viewer’s eye then travels to each animal’s posture and to the sheen, texture, and complexity of color and intricacy of brushwork that mimics fur, a horse’s mane, or a duck’s feathers.

Clukie achieves similar verisimilitude in her landscapes. Through the interplay of color, composition, and texture, she draws the viewer into the scene. One stands before a creek, watches it recede into the background, senses the quiet of marshland, and feels the wetness of the grass along the banks.

“Nature has so much beauty that I want to capture, so people can feel like they’re there,” Cluckie said.

Whether she’s beginning an animal portrait or a landscape, Clukie first works with her palette and values. Using oils or pastels, she might create a palette from a black-and-white photograph or change the colors of a scene to create a different mood. Once she has the palette and values to her liking, the composition and textures of the piece take shape. She senses what creates the rhythm and movement, the proportion and balance needed to keep the viewer’s eye moving through the work.

Brushes are key to achieving the realism of Clukie’s works. Using large brushes, one for light colors and one for dark colors, allows her to “create big, beautiful brush strokes and tell a stronger story.” Doing what she calls “dirty work,” She will grab a couple of colors on the same brush. By not washing the brush, she creates values that portray the complex depth of nature’s hues.

Always engaged in something artistic, Clukie is dedicated to her art.

“I have so much to learn. I want to be able to capture my subject — but even better. I want my work to touch as many people as it can. I want to keep learning and learning until I can’t hold a brush anymore,” she said.

For more information about Cluckie or to view additional works, visit JanetClukieFineArt.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram @JanetClukiefineart