From a young age Tyler Vouros took an interest in art, which developed over the course of his grade school years and university studies. He received an MFA from the New York Academy of Art, with a focus on oil painting, but his aptitude for drawing and interest in charcoal pushed his career to new levels. “The tactile nature of the material” is what has kept him motivated and allowed him to explore all areas of the medium.Voodoo (Falco Perengrinus), charcoal and water mounted on deep canvas, 42 x 66"

“You can use it dry, wet, with brushes or erasers,” says Vouros. “I also have a deeper appreciation for paper and what that’s capable of and how I don’t use white in my work. It’s always the original surface, where I erase or sand it back.” He adds that, similar to how oil paintings collect and reflect light, “the paper absorbs light and keeps it in the surface and allows the piece to glow.” Vouros often uses watercolor or other fine art papers as his surfaces, allowing him to just throw something up on the wall and begin working. He also explores tools and techniques such as an electric eraser and using water to lock in charcoal like an ink.Magoo (Northern white-faced Scops Owl), charcoal and water mounted on deep canvas, 42 x 56"

An adept technician, Vouros aims to create creatures that are true to life but in larger-than-life scales or that have some areas of the composition with a looser approach. The subject, however, is rooted in nature, which goes back to his childhood growing up in a bucolic Massachusetts town. “I don’t mean to overly romanticize it, but I grew up in a log home with a long driveway in a town without a stoplight,” says the artist. “It’s something that I gained more appreciation for in the past few years. That space and openness and the calm, I think that’s naturally just come to [be] reflected in my artwork and [be] what my interest is.”Lila, charcoal and water mounted on DEEP canvas, 30 x 22"

Vouros began with more abstract expressionist style works featuring decaying sunflowers, and later, by happenstance, came to the bird subjects he’s been drawing in recent years. “I was teaching a workshop and saw taxidermy animals,” he says. For a while that allowed him to understand the light on the animal, but what elevated his work to the next level was connecting through social media with Jane Kelly of On the Wing, a raptor rehab in Epping, New Hampshire.Saroo (Aegolius Acadicus), charcoal and water mounted on DEEP canvas, 41 x 23"

“She basically invited me up to come and meet with her birds. I [previously] had some firsthand experience with wildlife specialists, where they would bring in rescue birds and do demonstrations, but this was really the first time I got to step inside the enclosures with the owls and birds of prey,” Vouros explains. “To be introduced to them and just the mission of what she does in rehabilitating and educating the public, I got on board with that message.”Athena (Burrowing Owl), charcoal and water mounted on DEEP canvas, 41 x 29½"

Many of his latest pieces depict the birds he met at the facility. One in particular is Lila, an Eurasian eagle-owl who he spent several hours with in the enclosure. While there, Vorous was able to make sketches and take photographs of the birds he saw, which is important because he aims to capture their anatomies with as much accuracy as possible. “I can control working with the rehabilitation birds and the birds used for educational purposes, because I can be close to them and really inspect them,” he shares. “That’s what’s given me a little bit of an edge, just learning how these creatures function and move.”Kingston (Great Grey Owl), charcoal and water mounted on DEEP canvas, 55 x 35"

Vouros’ latest works will be on view at RJD Gallery in Romeo, Michigan, throughout the month of October in the solo show Life After Dark. “After many years of collecting primarily figurative artworks, described as American magic realism, we purchased an artwork featuring a magnificent owl from Tyler Vouros. That quickly led to acquiring more owls by Tyler, and additional hyperrealist naturalistic artworks,” says gallerist Richard Demato. “These works have enhanced our daily life in many ways, changing our perspective of both art and nature, and they have created a new vision and focus to our collection. Now more than ever, it is important to be guardians of the natural world and Tyler’s works remind us daily the vital role we play to support all life forms on the planet. Our children and all of our guests enjoy Tyler’s exquisite and detailed artworks, and have led to many heartfelt conversations. We clearly recognize and value this new calmness his artworks have brought to our home.” —

RJD Gallery
227 N. Main Street • Romeo, MI 48065
(586) 281-3613 • www.rjdgallery.com 

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