"Ruadh gu brath!"

  ~Scots Gaelic

 
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

                                  ~Robert Frost

Our national bard celebrated life, liquor and love

                                    ~Robert Burns

 

Biography

Lynn Ponto-Peterson is an up and coming and award winning Scottish/American artist. Known for her delicate and precise detail, her work is prized by collectors all over the world. Specializing in wildlife in miniature and traditional sized artwork. Lynn just started her art career in 2007 full time. In her first two shows she won The Catherine P. Scott first in realism at the prestigious "74th annual International Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature" at The Strathmore Mansion, Bethesda MD. 

"This award has a most special meaning for me. It was originally sponsored by the extremely talented Artist Susan Brooke in memory of her sister. Susan has been such a mentor and friend to me and winning such a prestigious award is an exciting start to my career."

Lynn also won Second in Opaque Watercolor at the equally prestigious "33rd Annual International Miniature Art Show" at the Gulf Coast Museum of Art, Largo, Florida. Amazing results for her very first two works entered.

An accomplished Horsewoman and highly in demand Equine Graphic Designer, Lynn has also designed professional ads for clients for many top Equine magazines and her equine photography has won numerous awards and been on many covers, used in advertising, and on calendars. Lynn retired from Graphic work in 2009 to dedicate 100% to her fine art work. Lynn is also an accomplished and award winning flutist specializing in Classical and recently Native American Flute. "Arkansas is for certain the Musical "Jam" state. We live very near Mt. View which is the Folk music capital of the world. Any given day you can find local musicians playing at the park or cafe's. I have to say it brings out the musician in everyone living here. Music is such a big part of my life from hard rock to classical, I love it all, but do admit I am at heart a "good girl hard rocker" ;o) The most important songs to me are those that have powerful and thought provoking themes of the dreams, struggles and triumphs of the human spirit."

 

 An avid animal advocate, Lynn also donates a portion of her work to help needy volunteer animal shelters and endangered species across the United States. 

Lynn was recently selected to paint a miniature painting on an Easter Egg for the White House Display sponsored by the Egg board of America. Representing the state of Arkansas this egg will be on display during the holiday season and then may be in the permanent collection of the Presidential Library. A luncheon was planned with the first Lady at the White House but with pressing economic woes in America this event was canceled this year and hopefully will resume in 2010 where Lynn will most certainly attend. Lynn chose the wildlife of Arkansas as her theme and placed an Arkansas crystal her then 5 year old son found at a local mine of top. "Arkansas is the Natural State so I felt it only fitting that nature be my theme. We fish the white river for world class trout every chance we get and also have developed a fondness for visiting the Elk Nature Center to see the reestablished Elk. Southern Arkansas has vast duck habitat and the white tail was painted from photos taken in my own back yard. I was not the easiest thing I have ever painted but it was an enjoyable project and I hope I captured just a small glimpse of the Beauty of Arkansas."

Lynn's love of animals was apparent since a toddler and now you can find her photographing wildlife throughout North America. “Arkansas is a wildlife artist’s dream come true and I am so happy to make this my home.  From Bobcat to Elk it is so important that we keep Arkansas’s wildlife pristine and protected. This is truly one of the most beautiful places in America.”

“I try and travel when I am able with a young family to take photos of as many American species as I can. One of my favorite experiences was the time I spent with a pack of wolves for a photo shoot. I have always felt a deep bond with wolves owning/rescuing a hybrid we had for ten years. Wolves to this day hold a very special place in my heart and they appear frequently in my artwork. My wish is that someday they will be restored in Arkansas where the now extinct Arkansas Red Wolf once roamed.”

(The Alarm Clock - 5x7 gouache on board)

 

 

 

 

"My biggest influences on my artwork come from  my artist idols. If I achieve 1/10 of any of these amazing artist's skill before I pass from this world I will be happy. They are true inspirations to me.
 
Carl Brenders is probably the most technically skilled wildlife artist in the world and in my opinion a true artistic genius. I grew up wanting to emulate his work. His work first brought me to the medium of gouache which he is no doubt a master of and I have never looked back. It is my medium of choice and the one I feel most at home with. It has slowed my work down considerably but as my work matures I hope I can master it a bit more. (shown: While the Cat's Away by Carl Brenders)
 
Steve Hanks is probably the most skilled watercolor artist today and his figurative work has no equal. What he does with light and flesh is amazing. One of my favorite subjects to paint are children with horses. I love the interaction and emotion between the two. I use to be so afraid of painting people and it was his work that gave me the courage to continue pursuing that area of interest. (Shown" From a Higher Level" by Steve Hanks)
 
John Paul Strain. His work in gouache is photographically realistic yet it is more, it pulls you into a time and place with such clarity that you feel you are not a viewer of a painting but a part of the history that he is portraying. My favorite work of his is Charlestown Station "shown" This image reminds me of my father and growing up near the railroad museum in Union Illinois. He is another true master of Gouache. To study his work is to study true genius.
 
Scott Gustafson, who actually graduated from the same high school as I did and would come and speak to our art class, is amazing and he is a really great person. I was fortunate enough to be able to spend many hours with Scott assisting him at a few book signings that he did for my mother-in-law's book store. His words of encouragement meant a great deal to me. His work sends you back into your childhood make believe. Enchanting is the word that always comes to mind when I see his work.
 

I had the pleasure of meeting Lee Kromschroeder in person recently at the Tulsa OK wildlife art show and he not only is extremely talented but one of the nicest people I have ever met. He took the time to really talk with me about style and technique which is still surreal to me. To say I was in awe to meet him was an understatement. I hope to take his seminar in Montana this year.

 
 
Robert Bateman needs no introduction in the wildlife art world. He is an amazing artist and I hope to meet him in person one day. I have gained so much insight from what I have read him say about wildlife art. I carry his words of wisdom with me every day in the studio.
 
How could I forget  Edmund Blair Leighton and Sir Frank Francis Bernard

! I grew up with their paintings. I HATED my red hair when I was a child and teenager. My Mom showed me his paintings with beautiful red heads and courageous knights on horseback...it did make me back away from the peroxide bottle :) and those paintings were a huge inspiration to me growing up. I am a hopeless romantic and there are no better expressions of this then these, my three favorite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sir Frank Francis Bernard - La Belle Dame Sans Merci

 

 

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