Ilene Reed is a self-taught artist born in Denver, Colorado and raised in various parts of the state. Growing up, Ilene engaged with her natural environment by fostering orphaned animals a practice that would later become a major source of inspiration for her artwork. Amid relocating and adjusting to different towns, she discovered her skill and passion for art when she won first place in a state art contest in second grade. Attending high school in rural Colorado, Ilene got her first set of oil paints from an art teacher and created a stunning painting of mallards landing on a river - a piece that won her a two-year college scholarship which she ultimately had to turn down to help her family with a janitorial business.
Ilene's initial foray into the world of art began at the age of three when gifted with coloring books and crayons. However, it was at the age of 17 when she was first introduced to oil paints and canvas where she found her creative calling - she wanted to be a wildlife artist. Despite moving to Grand Island, Crete, and then to Lincoln, Nebraska her passion for art never dissipated. After working in public relations and being appointed as Colorado Director of the Minority and Women's Business Office, Ilene returned to Colorado, ready to convert her long-cherished dream of art into a business.
Her art is a deep tribute to her love for Colorado's resplendent landscapes, the sunsets' ever-changing light, the mesmerizing skies against the backdrop of the Rockies, and the dynamic interaction of wildlife. Her creative process is an amalgamation of love, vision, spirituality, and hope. Each painting stands as an invitation for the viewer to immerse themselves in the enchanting beauty of nature. By using a unique technique of thin paint layering to focus on realism, Ilene has created a stand-out identity for her art. The individuality of her art also lies in its engaging quality. It's not just about viewing beautiful wildlife in a natural setting - it's about participating in the curiosity and the wildlife connection to the natural world.
Stranger in Our Midst
36"H x 24"W x 1.5"D
Oil on Gallery Wrap
Ilene's major influences are renowned artists Robert Bateman, Carl Brenders, Alan M. Hunt, George McLean, and Terry Isaac. The greatest highlight in her art career include one of her paintings sharing space at the National Museum of Wildlife Art with her major influences. Other highlights include "Wake Up Mom . . . Hungry as a Bear" 2016 being awarded 1st Place at the 12th Annual Romancing the Arts Exhibit, Castle Rock, CO. Also, artworks "Spring Break" 2014 and "The Great Escape?" 2015 acquired Honorable Mention - Professional Category in the National Arts Program.
Ilene's ultimate aspiration is for her work to be permanently displayed at the National Museum of Wildlife Art and the Smithsonian Art Museum, two prestigious spaces for art. For Ilene, art isn't just a form of expression, but also a potent tool for education. Through her realistic depictions of wildlife in their natural habitat, she aims to increase awareness and understanding about the various species, their requirements, and the challenges they face. While she champions the cause of wildlife through her art, Ilene's belief stands firm: Art isn't just for the eyes, but also for the mind and the soul.
Her art has been displayed in some major art spaces including The Wildlife Art Museum, Jackson Hole, Wyoming and The Wildlife Experience Museum, Parker, CO and it has been featured in prominent magazines such as Southwest Art Magazine and Western Art and Architecture Magazine. The way she encapsulates spiritual ambience and astonishing realism in her works has garnered admiration from various art appreciators and connoisseurs.
National Museum of Wildlife Art
Exhibit Above the Clouds: Art of the Alpine
.JPG)
Little Big Horn
30"H x 24"W x 1.5"D
Oil on Gallery Wrap
Little Big Horn was juried into the National Museum of Wildlife Art exhibit "Above the Clouds: Art of the Alpine" , June 25 - September 18, 2022. The Museum is located at 820 Rungius Road, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. For more information about events at the Museum: www.wildlifeart.org
Built into a hillside overlooking the National Elk Refuge, the Museum received the designation "National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States" by order of Congress in 2008. The National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States, founded in 1987, is a Jackson Hole museum holding more than 5,000 artworks by more than 550 artists representing wild animals around the world. The Museum's unsurpassed permanent collection chronicles much of the history of wildlife in art, from 2500 B.C.E. to the present. The museum welcomes 65,000 visitors a year from around the globe.
"Little Big Horn" was inspired by the title of the show "Above the Clouds: Art of the Alpine." Oil was chosen as the thick medium to arouse the full range of emotions of the Alpine . . . deep, dramatic and powerful. The blue and gray tones help the viewer feel the cold, wind-blown alpine biome above the tree line. This painting is meant to transport the viewer into the rare world above the clouds.
Reed felt it was a humbling experience that her painting was hung in a museum featuring work by prominent artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Robert Kuhn, John James Audubon, August Rodin, Robert Bateman, Antoine-Louis Barye, Albert Bierstadt, Rosa Bonheur George Catlin, William Merritt Chase, John Clymer, Edward Hicks, Alfred Jacob Miller, Charles M. Russell and Carl Rungius.
A copy of this painting is available as a Giclee, signed and numbered. There is a limited edition of 50. Your Giclee is shipped free of charge to you (in the U.S. only). Prints can be stretched and mounted on .75"x 1.75" stretcher bars and stapled on sides. Great for framing. Prints can also be ordered stretched around 1.25" x 1.75" stretcher bars and stapled on back. Gallery wrapped images adds a more contemporary look and prevents the need for framing. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. Call with any questions at 303-570-0357.
