Father-daughter art show at Vail’s Cogswell Gallery
For Renee Buller, it was impossible not to be exposed to nature and art with Stephen LeBlanc as her father. He travels extensively throughout the world so that he can view animals in the natural environments. LeBlanc’s bronzes expose a lifetime study of anatomy and a love of wildlife. They are so realistic that they feel as though they may suddenly spring into action.
Stephen LeBlanc’s sculptures can be found on many college campuses, including the buffalo outside Folsom Stadium at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His love of wildlife and exploring nature has led him to also become the host of a television show, Browning Expeditions, in which he guides groups of people on hunts.
While Buller definitely inherited her father’s love of nature and his artistic talent, after apprenticing under her father, she found her niche in painting rather than sculpture. Buller photographs her encounters with wildlife in nature, and then recreates them later using oils on linen.
Buller incorporates contrasting styles within her wildlife paintings. She takes the viewer from an impressionistic background to a nearly photo realistic subject. This allows the viewer to really focus in on the detail of the animal, and it adds a bit of whimsy to her work.