From the Bright Sunny South
August 6, 2020
SCA Articles
Joseph Sulkowski is a talented artist, one who can and does cover a wide range of subjects with impressive results.
Acclaimed as one of America’s premier dog and sporting artists, he works in a style of poetic realism influenced by the Old Masters. He even goes so far as to crush glass and mix it with his paints, adding a special touch of light in each of his pieces.
Some of his most eye-catching canvases are those that portray the sporting South—woods and water, shotguns and fishing tackle, birds and dogs and horses and pine trees. A native of Pennsylvania, it’s a particularly strong testament to his skill level that he can not only paint the South and its outdoor opportunities, but that he can capture the “Southern-ness” of it all without having been born there.
Below are a few paintings that showcase his rare ability, each featured in the book The Sporting Life. The latest title from Sporting Classics, it includes some 150 paintings by Joseph, each more breathtaking than the last.
The Sporting Life is a celebration of gundogs and horses, hunting and fishing as expressed through the rich and exuberant paintings of Joseph Sulkowski.
Acclaimed as one of America’s premier dog and sporting artists, Sulkowski shares his personal conversation with the outdoor life in a style of Poetic Realism. Influenced and guided by the hands of the Old Masters, he creates fluid brushstrokes that imbue his canvases with a compelling blend of light, atmosphere, and spatial effects that bring his passion for the sporting life into vivid focus for the viewer.
Whether it’s still-lifes, dog paintings or scenes of hunters and anglers, Joseph Sulkowski derives his inspiration from personal contact with the natural world. He carries out his visions through a lifelong discipline to his craft in which hand-ground paints, carefully prepared oils and varnishes, and handcrafted linen canvases and gessoed panels play a vital role in the quality of each work of art.
All this and more about the immensely gifted artist is detailed by author Brooke Chilvers, one of the foremost experts on wildlife and sporting art. Altogether, the large-format, 240 pages book features more than 180 paintings and dozens of sketches.