Interpreting the Wild

Kotyluk was the Second Prize winner of International Artist magazine’s Challenge No. 116, Landscapes

Artist Martin Kotyluk was born in Northern Ontario, Canada, and was always inspired by the vastly diverse landscapes of the region. His artwork displays the area’s visual beauty through panoramic views and close-up images, such as rock formations. Working in a style he calls “semi-fine realism,” Kotyluk paints and draws what he sees but takes liberties to make a visually appealing composition.Over the past six months Martin Kotyluk has settled into his new studio. His other studio is the great outdoors where he plein air paints

Willisville Lookout, acrylic, 8 x 48"“My artwork has evolved over the years,” he explains. “At first, I would try to paint exactly what I see, [which produced]artwork that wasn’t always visually appealing. Over time, I realized that it was OK to manipulate the composition and colors to make it more pleasing to the eye. I also started experimenting with different medias, art styles and using bigger paintbrushes.”

The foundation to all of his artwork, however, is the natural world, which he knows intimately from growing up in the area and exploring all its terrain. “Going for long wilderness hikes and canoe trips in Northern Ontario, it just forces you to put what you have seen down on canvas,” says Kotyluk.

Rock the Lake, acrylic, 16 x 24"

Carmichael Lake Panoramic, acrylic, 12 x 36"

He adds, “I never plan a painting. When I go exploring in nature, I see so many scenes to paint. I may do a small plein air drawing or painting, but the bulk of my time is spent taking reference photos to be used for future artwork.”

Rock the Lake, for instance, is from a spot near the Killarney lighthouse in Ontario, while his painting Carmichael Lake Panoramic was inspired from a six-day canoe trip in Killarney Park. The area in the latter work was often painted by the Group of Seven, a well-known artists group in Canada. Explaining the piece, he says, “On this trip I did plein air painting and took photos of the same places that these artists painted. Using my reference materials, I created this work.” —