Gallery 1001 to Host Wildlife Artist Brent Langley

Brent Langley at work above Yellowstone Falls

 

         Gallery 1001 is pleased to host wildlife artist Brent Langley (www.brentlangleyart.com) as guest artist in October. Langley, of Edwardsville, Illinois, was born in Kansas in 1947 and graduated from Wichita State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.  After a 26-year career working for the U.S. government, he retired in 1999 and embarked on a second career as a wildlife artist.

            “Art has always been a part of my life,” Langley said. “From earliest memories, I have been intrigued with the idea of taking what my eyes see, melding that sensory input with what my mind imagines, and translating the resulting images through my hands to paper, board, and canvas for others to experience.”

A Flame in the Forest; acrylic painting by Brent Langley

            He developed his artistic abilities with emphasis on new media and the portrayal of color and light.  Largely self-taught, Brent has also greatly benefited from workshops presented by internationally known artists John Seerey-Lester and Robert Bateman.  He is especially proud of his membership in the prestigious Society of Animal Artists, a Signature Member since 2011.

“My objective is to create works of art that are harmonious in all aspects, from both a compositional and a scientific viewpoint. While the primary goal is to bring pleasure, a secondary goal is also to educate, to prompt in the viewer the desire to preserve the wonderful, extravagant, beautiful diversity of life that surrounds us.”

Langley’s artwork includes wildlife from around the world, but his prairie roots enable him to portray scenes with special appeal to residents of Cowley County.

Never one to do anything halfway, his list of artistic accomplishments and recognitions continues to grow. In addition to his membership in the Society of Animal Artists, he was an Artist-in-Residence at Rocky Mountain National Park in 2009, donating a painting to the park’s collection. He participated in Zion National Park’s 100^th Anniversary Exhibition in 2009. He has been honored in the top 100 artists in “Paint the Parks” 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.

At Day’s End; oil painting by Brent Langley

His work has placed in the Maple City Fine Arts show in Geneseo, Illinois several different years, receiving awards for 2^nd place in 2007, 3^rd place in 2008, 2^nd place 2012 and 2^nd place 2015. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa awarded Langley with Painting of the Year in 2007 and 2008. He was honored in the “Top 200” in National Arts for the Parks shows in 1993, 2002, 2004 and 2005. A regular exhibitor at Winfield’s Art in the Park, he has received “Awards of Merit” there in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2014.

Langley has exhibited his artwork in numerous shows. International juried shows for the Society of Animal Artists, “Art and the Animal” 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015; and SAA international juried shows “Small Works-Big Impressions” 2008, 2009. He has exhibited in regional shows in Davenport, Iowa and various Illinois locations, including background murals for the Niabi Zoo in Coal Valley, Illinois.

Langley has work permanently on display at the Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, Kansas.

His acclaimed wildlife art will be featured at Gallery 1001, 10^th and Main in Winfield, from October 5 to October 18, 2015. The Gallery will host a welcome reception for Brent Langley Friday October 9 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome to stop by and meet the artist, view the artwork on display, and enjoy the atmosphere.