“I grew up in the Bay Area where my family spent many weekends hiking and exploring the unique landscapes of northern California from the beaches at Pescadero to Pinecrest in the mountains. We also explored much of Montana — my mother was raised in Great Falls — and we loved seeing the abundant wildlife.
Paul Kratter, Christin Coy & Tim Holton at a reception for the artists, 2009.
“Four years at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena prepared me for a life as a freelance illustrator. With a passion for animal life I concentrated the latter part of my career on wildlife art, working on projects for the Nature Company, several national zoos, museums and a variety of children books.
“I started hiking in the rolling hills of the East Bay, painting local landscapes. The ever-changing light and the need to work fast has brought a fresh, looser approach to my work. The bold work of Edgar Payne, Carl Rungius, and NC Wyeth is a huge inspiration to me. My hope is to explore the many and varied habitats of California and beyond, making a visual statement that captures what I see and feel.”
— Paul Kratter
Paul Kratter is a highly accomplished artist and instructor who has won numerous awards at Plein Air events across the country. After 22 years working as an illustrator and publishing several books, he now paints full time and teaches. He teaches plein air work shops and has taught classes at the San Francisco Art Institute, and Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville. Information about his workshop classes can be found on his website.
Paul is also the co-chair of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the California Art Club.
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Paul doing a painting demonstration at the Gallery, 2009