Trevor V. Swanson, the son of wildlife artist Gary R. Swanson, is an example of an artistic talent passing from one generation to another. Each of Swanson's canvases is an expression of the influence created by the artistic environment in which he grew up.

Trevor Swanson lives in Arizona with his wife Jennifer and two children, son Connor and daughter Devon. Trevor, who began painting professionally in 1989, has worked hard to develop a high level of realism in his paintings. Drawing upon the influence of his father's work, he learned an appreciation for realism, detail, and the complexities of value systems essential to any fine artwork. He has also striven to master the patience needed to make each painting something very special.

His father's reputation has been a major factor on Trevor's reputation and to his receiving invitations to fine art shows and winning the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep Artist of the Year Award.

Throughout his life, Trevor has enjoyed spending as much time as possible outdoors. He has traveled throughout the United States as well as Canada, Africa and Spain. Trevor now enjoys spending as much time as possible at the Swanson ranch in Colorado where he is able to gather subject material and experience the endless beauty this area has to offer. From his travels, he has developed a great respect and enthusiam for all aspects of nature which he now conveys through his art. Time spent in the field gives Trevor his environments, which he then transfers to the canvas, remaining true to the fundamentals of good artistic realism.

Trevor Swanson is a wildlife artist much influenced by the painting of his deceased father, Gary Swanson from whom he acquired an appreciation for the realism, detail and value systems essential to wildlife rendering. Through patient study, he further studied the technical skills needed to create his works of art.

Trevor began his professional career at the age of 20, and by the age of 25, he had won several artistic competitions, including "Artist of the Year" award from the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep.

An avid outdoorsman, Trevor never goes far without a camera or sketch pad. For Trevor, the creative process begins with the insight and emotional response he gleans directly from wild animals in their natural settings. In his quest for subject matter, Trevor has traveled extensively throughout North America, Europe and Africa. His intense desire to capture rare and beautiful moments in nature has taken him to the extremes of geography. This includes the highest cliffs of Canada, the hottest deserts of Mexico and the deepest swamplands of Africa. His enthusiasm for his subjects has, at times, brought Trevor too close for comfort. Over the years, he's been charged by hippos, chased be crocodiles, and tossed into the air by a cape buffalo. He's even felt the rumble of an active volcano.

To Trevor, however, this kind of peril is just part of the adventure that comprises his art. "Anyone who has encountered a wolf eye-to-eye in the wilderness can tell you its exhilarating" says Trevor. "Nothing compares to the grandeur of an eagle perched high atop a snow-covered mountain, a sinewy leopard creeping like a shadow across a dry desert, or a magnificent bear effortlessly running across a muddy sandbar. These are the sights and sensations that inspire the most powerful images on canvas."

While Trevor begins his exploration in the wilderness, he pursues a much deeper discovery on canvas. On one level, his artwork is intended to celebrate the majesty of untamed wildlife and beauty of unspoiled environments. On another level, he wishes to express a keen sense of the drama and emotion found only in the wilderness. On yet another level, through its intense realism, Trevor's art captures that briefest moment in time when nature reveals her spirit. "I paint realistically, because the beauty of life is in the little things. The multi-colored moss growing on the rock where a wolf is standing, the light beaming through trees branches onto the fur of a bear; these are the details that breathe life into the painting. I try hard to portray these subtle elements of tone and mood because they complete the story being told."

Trevor's paintings also reflect his pervasive philosophy on mankind's place within nature. "I see humans as the caretakers of our planet," explains Trevor. "It is our obligation to preserve the Earth's delicate balance for future generation. And the first step is opening our eyes to all its mystery and wonder. There is so much beauty in the world as it is, mine is the task of capturing that beauty to show other what we have to lose."