Ducks Unlimited’s International Artist of the year

Early Start
As a youngster, Peter Mathios used duck blind downtime to sketch ducks coming into the family’s decoy rig

By Gary Koehler

Introduced to waterfowl hunting early on, artist Peter Mathios vividly remembers the time shared with his father and brother in northern California’s sprawling Suisun Marsh. This is where gunning became an integral part of his life, and where an appreciation of the natural world around him was first nurtured.

Between flights of decoying ducks, Mathios was known to pick up a sketch pad and create his own images of what the perfect morning on the marsh should look like. “Because of my family’s hunting background, I really fell in love with it, duck hunting in particular,” Mathios says. “I’d be with my dad and my brother, and if it was a slow day, I’d draw scenes of birds coming in. You have to draw what you are passionate about, and I’m definitely passionate about that.”

Mathios turned that passion into a full-time job more than a dozen years ago and now reigns as the 2009 Ducks Unlimited International Artist of the Year. His Evening Sprig painting, depicting a flock of pintails seeking solitude, was the top vote-getter   in a competition featuring a number of accomplished wildlife artists from around the nation.

While he had no formal art training as a child, a once-a-week class made an impact. His old schoolbooks bear testament.

“Every Friday, instead of science, we would have an art class. It seemed to come easier to me than a lot of other kids,” Mathios says. “I started applying what I was learning to my drawings. I was always drawing in the margins of my textbooks. Most of the time those drawings were ducks.”

Mathios earned a degree in art and graduated from the University of California at Davis. He sold his first painting shortly thereafter while he was working at a ski resort in Oregon.

“I got serious about my art while at the ski resort. I sold one of my paintings to one of the employees there, and that got the juices flowing. I thought I could make some money at this,” Mathios says.

Now living in the waterfowl-rich Willamette Valley, Mathios has been the recipient of dozens of awards. His work has been featured on state duck stamps in Michigan, California, Idaho, and Oregon. He has also finished in the top 10 in the federal duck stamp competition.

“I paint pretty much everything—I don’t just do hunting scenes. I paint mostly birds but also a lot of North American big and small game,” Mathios says. “When I’m in the field, I’m looking at everything. It’s all interesting to me. But if I were to pick a favorite subject, it would be waterfowl.”

Now 39, Mathios, the 31st wildlife artist to win DU’s top honor, spends his days sequestered in his studio (mathiosstudios.net), putting brush to canvas to recreate the drama and splendor of the outdoors.

“There are times when inspiration ebbs and flows. When it’s up, I can go for hours. If I am not so excited about a painting, I’ll put it aside and come back to it later. I will have from six to 12 paintings going on at one time, some close to finished and others just getting started,” Mathios says.

Evening Sprig is a moody piece, focusing perhaps as much on the landscape and sky as the waterfowl. “When I do landscapes, the birds are smaller—I like to give the viewer a sense of weather and feel of the air. If it’s a foggy scene, I want to give them the feeling of being there. I want them to say, ‘Yeah, I have been there. I know exactly what that’s like,’” Mathios says. “I like to paint representationally and create a mood. I want to present a glimpse of the outside world.”

Mathios respects the works of both contemporary artists and those who have gone before him and the dynamic impact that they have had on wetlands and waterfowl conservation.
“I think that this type of art gives people a chance, if they can’t get outdoors, to look at the picture on their wall and have it bring them to a place and a special memory,” Mathios says.

“Being able to pick this artwork up at fund-raising dinners is important in terms of conservation—not only the money raised, but as reminders of how beautiful the outdoors can be. Hopefully, it helps motivate people who want to conserve it.”

Sidebar:

Ducks Unlimited’s National Art Package
Wildlife art has been a staple at Ducks Unlimited fund-raising events for more than 30 years. The International Artist of the Year program alone has raised more than $34 million on behalf of continental wetlands and waterfowl conservation. In addition to high-quality artwork, DU banquets also feature a wide variety of sporting collectibles, including decoys, sculptures, lamps, and related items. Perhaps you know someone who has never attended a DU event—a neighbor, friend, or family member. Invite them to a fundraiser this year. Help fill the hall by introducing them to the world’s leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. There will be plenty of exciting new products available, including the Waterfowler’s Choice shotgun, a Browning Silver. This is the first and only Browning firearm to feature Advantage MAX-4 camouflage. This semi-automatic is adorned with the DU logo on its receiver, has a 3 1/2-inch chamber, 28-inch vent rib barrel, and exclusive DuraTouch finish technology. How’s that for a sneak preview? We hope to see you at a DU event this year. And, again, bring a friend.

• Click on any image to enlarge.

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