Wynn Ponder

Artist Statement
I want my art to feel like a chance encounter with a wild creature. The first thing you feel is reverence at its marvelous detail: the myriad variations of its fur, the eccentricities of its body language, the exquisite efficiency of its camouflage. But the real revelation is found in the intelligence behind its eyes and in its palpable desire to live … the same motivation that drives us all.

I have spent much of my life around wild animals, both in the wilderness, and during my years volunteering at wildlife sanctuaries. I have bottle-fed snow leopard cubs, cleaned tiger cages, fed kangaroos, and released rehabilitated birds into the wild. I have hiked endless miles through North America’s wilderness and come face-to-face with coyotes, deer, river otters, and countless other creatures.

I wish everyone could have these life-changing experiences. To meet an animal in its natural habitat is to see it as a vibrant individual carving out its place in the world, same as the rest of us. This is the feeling I want my work to evoke.

Tools, Techniques and Background
I sometimes draw with pencils, but frequently manipulate charcoal and graphite with paintbrushes, sponges, and other blending tools. Each artwork takes from...

- National Fine Art Show, Louisville Art Association CO USA 2026
- Land that I Love National Art Show, Mark Arts, KS, USA 2026
- Hopping Gnome Art Lounge featured artist, Wichita, KS, USA 2026
- International Sketch for Survival Competition, Explorers Against Extinction, 2023 (Exhibitions in London, UK, and Edinburgh, Scotland