Slonem is an American painter renowned for his vibrant, emotive works, which often feature bold patterns, rich colors, and a recurring focus on animals, particularly butterflies, birds, and rabbits. He studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York and later at Tulane University in New Orleans, where his artistic voice began to take shape.
Known for his energetic and expressive brushwork, Slonem is best known for his depictions of animals, rendered in a distinct, almost abstract style that blends representational imagery with bold, geometric forms. His works frequently feature repeating motifs, such as rows of butterflies or birds, that evoke a sense of rhythm and pattern. This repetition is not just a stylistic choice but also a spiritual one, as the subjects often symbolize concepts like transformation, freedom, and the beauty of life.
This work by Slonem is engaging and sophisticated with a calm softness that creates a lovely tonal surface. Slonem’s technique of painting wet-on-wet emphasizes the painting’s tactile, impasto qualities. Butterflies, another one of the artists favorite subjects, appear to be flying behind a screened background. On a return trip from India, Slonem had a realization while painting in his studio (surrounded by his many exotic birds) that his view through the wire birdcages needed to be incorporated with cross hatches. We consider this painting to be a very fine example of this type of composition by the artist.
“My work bounces of nature – my inspiration is nature. Painting is a way of storing these memories.”
Hunt Slonem is undoubtedly one of the most renowned contemporary artists of the 21st century. Working as a painter of animals, portraits, and murals, as well as a sculptor and interior designer, Slonem has garnered widespread acclaim for his signature imagery and vibrant aesthetic. As poet and critic John Asbury observes, “Slonem summons dazzling explosions of the variable life around us that need only to be looked at in order to spring into being.”
