Bart Walker Memorial Day, Russian River

Bart Walker, a native of Birmingham, Alabama, felt the influence of his father who worked in watercolor, and an older brother, an accomplished draughtsman and oil painter. “Standing behind my brother on the shores of String Lake in Teton National Park, I was amazed at how easily he captured the scene. I then thought to myself, I can do that. But, I soon realized the difficult path I had chosen and began a long journey into the craft of oil painting.” Artist instructors and friends Scott Christensen, Robert Moore, Kang Cho, Skip Whitcomb, and well-thumbed books on Schmid, Reese, Fechin, and Anderson are Walker’s masterful mentors. “But,” he says, “now that I know the basics, I want canvases filled with my own spirit.” “Living in Teton Valley, Idaho,” observes Walker, “I’ll always have beautiful places to paint. As an artist, I want to do still life, architectural and figurative paintings. Some artists are known for painting landscapes well, or maybe people well,” says Walker thoughtfully. “I want to be known for painting all subjects well.” Bart Walker lives in Teton Valley, Idaho, with his wife, Tracy, and their various four-legged kids. Walker paints in the plein d’air tradition and exhibits his work throughout the West.