Colored-pencil realist Seth Wheatley turns Florida’s untamed wildlife—and creatures from far-flung habitats—into vivid, finely textured portraits.
Preferred Mediums
Biography
Based in historic St. Augustine on Florida’s northeast coast, Seth Wheatley is a wildlife artist who relies on the humble colored pencil to achieve extraordinary realism. With painstaking layers of pigment, he recreates the shimmer of reptile scales, the downy softness of owl feathers, and the play of swamp-light on an alligator’s armored hide. His drawings invite viewers to look closer, rewarding the eye with details that often escape notice in the wild.
Florida’s diverse ecosystems supply an endless field studio. From the cypress domes of the Everglades to the sandy dunes that fringe the Atlantic, Wheatley studies native species in situ, sketchbook in hand, before returning to the studio for hours of color glazing. Yet his curiosity extends far beyond state lines: exotic parrots, Asian big cats, and African hoofed mammals all appear in his portfolio, underscoring the interconnectedness of global habitats.
Wheatley’s process is meditative. He begins with a graphite under-drawing, then methodically builds up translucent layers, burnishing between passes to lock in luminosity. The result is a surface that glows like watercolor yet retains the crisp control of draftsmanship. Collectors and fellow artists alike praise his disciplined observation and ethical sourcing of reference material; each piece is grounded in firsthand field sketches or photographs captured during wildlife-safe encounters.
By celebrating biodiversity in such meticulous form, Wheatley aligns seamlessly with Art Box Gallery & Studios’ mission to spotlight artists who merge craft excellence with environmental awareness. His work invites conversations about conservation while offering an intimate window into the character of each animal—be it the wary gaze of a Florida panther or the playful posture of a ring-tailed lemur.
Exhibitions & Achievements
- Featured artist at Art Box Gallery & Studios, St. Augustine, FL
Artist Statement
“Florida wildlife artist known for my colored pencil art of detailed depictions of animals from around the world. With a passion for nature and an eye for realism, I bring my subjects to life, capturing the intricate textures of fur, feathers and scales with remarkable precision. From the swamps to the beaches, Florida serves as a strong inspiration, but my work extends far from home, featuring wildlife from around the globe.”
