Michael A. Klafke
Originals

Best known for his masterful bird art compositions and accurate portrayal of animals, this gifted artist resides in Western Wisconsin near the beautiful Mississippi River. Michael A. Klafke is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee specializing in the field of zoology. His art experience is completely self-taught. Painting nature has been a life-long process it is an active form of communication, a way of sharing experiences with the outside world. Mike started out drawing at a young age along with collecting insects and bird watching which later lead to his interest in the natural sciences. Through hard work and persistence Mike was awarded the rank of "Eagle" by the Boy Scouts of America, the Boy Scout program was instrumental in developing Mike's deepest regard for the importance and reverence for God and respect and love for his country. In the early years, painting was a wonderful pastime, making time for it after school or work, but constant devotion to his art and the drive for improvement, he was able to begin painting full-time in 1982. Klafke's many accomplishments include, six "Birds in Art" exhibitions at the prestigious Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin. Other exhibits include the Denver Museum of Natural Sciences, the Houston Museum of Natural History, Explorers Hall at the National Geographic Society, Washington D.C., the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden, and the Hunter Museum of Art, Chattanooga, Tennessee. His work is included in many corporate and private collections. Concerned about conservation and the preservation of our natural resources, Mike's artwork has raised many thousands of dollars for wildlife organizations around the country. He was named "Artist of the Year" by the Ruffed Grouse Society, Coraopolis Pennsylvania in 1993. Also of major importance are programs that promote education and environmental awareness, Mike has participated in the Waterfowl Festival, Easton, Maryland, the first World Wildlife Expo, Gattlinburg, Tennessee, and many other programs. Technique, expressive style, and composition take a long time to develop, studying the works of past masters has proven invaluable. He cites J.M.W. Turner, Bruno Liljefors, J.-B. Camille Corot and Edouard Manet as having the greatest influence in his work. "There is no substitute for viewing original art, you can't see the brush strokes or the intensity of the artwork in books and magazines". A major portion of Mike's travels is dedicated to study art, "never pass up an opportunity to view an original painting"."To observe animals in their natural environment is probably the most important factor in painting nature art, animal behavior just doesn't show through in photographs, you have to see animals before painting them". Whether it's heading off to the Boundary Waters of Canada and Minnesota, or a major escape to Australia and New Zealand. "It is always interesting to compare the differences in plants and animals to the things you are used to in your own area." Mike travels as much as possible to photograph, sketch, and collect\par the vast amount of reference material required to produce the artwork that is as accurate and realistic as possible. Mike has also taught himself the art of taxidermy to better understand anatomy and to set up reference models to use in his work. He has also mounted birds and small mammals for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife\par Service, educational institutions, and many prominent artists and carvers. Recently he has completed thirty museum diorama murals, the largest measuring thirty-five feet across for the Brush Trophy Room Museum, an ongoing project conceived and developed by James A. Brush and his charming wife Cindy Brush. The Brush Trophy Room Museum is a celebration of world's greatest game animals, and serves to educate the importance of preserving not only the animals but the environments they live in. For Mike the opportunity to compose "Until Our Troops Come Home" represents a challenge in exploring new areas of representational art. Mike's ability to orchestrate a painting is well evident in producing a piece that is so moving and contains this many elements, people have said Mike's compositions are so well harmonized the take on a musical quality.