Who: Justin Sparks, Lake City
Medium: Watercolor and gouache
His story: A love of animals has led to a wild life for watercolor artist Justin Sparks. It all started at the zoo in Fort Worth, Texas, where he worked as a teen. Since that time he has worked with birds of prey, studied the nesting habits of bluebirds, house wrens and kestrels, trained horses and worked with Mexican gray wolves. But it wasn’t until 2000 that Sparks picked up a paintbrush and created his first work of art.
“When I was working at the World Bird Sanctuary in Missouri, they needed a T-shirt design for the peregrine falcon- reintroduction program. I painted a peregrine, and that’s when I realized that’s what I was supposed to do,” he says.
He created his first original painting for Ducks Unlimited in Texas. The painting was auctioned at the group’s convention and received the highest bid ever for one of its auction paintings. For the next three years, he sold his work at art shows across the country.
Sparks, 33, tried to take an art class once, but he says that didn’t last. Instead, he relies solely on his experience working with animals to guide his art. He begins by selecting a subject and placing it in its natural setting. Because he’s worked with so many native animals, it’s easy for him to recall their distinguishing features and even their individual personalities. He doesn’t use photos and uses reference materials only to ensure the accuracy of certain measurements, like the distance between eyes or size of ears.
Sparks credits his wife, Jennifer, for keeping the business running, promoting his work, and looking for galleries to carry his original paintings. Their daughter, Arianna, 8, is one of his biggest fans and helps during the summer by adding a little something to each painting.
Approach to his work: Sparks doesn’t lack for artistic inspiration. Living 15 miles from Lake City means all he has to do is step outside his front door to see lynx, elk, bobcat, cougar, beaver and moose. “My philosophy when I paint is that I want people to see animals as they are in nature. I try to make it look as real as possible,” he says. “I get a lot of inspiration seeing them every day.”
Of all the animals he paints, bears are Sparks’ favorite. “They seem so playful,” he says. “About once a year they break into our house and we find them in the living room. I just shoo them out. They’re real polite and they leave when asked.”
Cost range: $1,000-$6,000
Where to find his work: For original paintings, contact the artist at 970-944-0611; for reproductions, visit justinsparks.com. His work is also available at Sierra Pagosa Gallery in Pagosa Springs and Gallery on the Avenue in Scottsdale, Ariz.
– By Jodi Torpey, special to The Post
