Michael Mahoney Fine Art














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Michael Mahoney's great, great grandfather, Francis J. Mahoney, ventured west as a stone carver in the 1880's. First to San Fransisco, then to Denver, CO. where he helped build the U.S. Mint and a Cathedral in downtown Denver.

On the other side of Michael's family, his great-grandfather, Bill Ryan was a friend of Buffalo Bill Cody. His grandfather, William (Jack) Ryan, is in the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame. Michael's parents moved from Wyoming to Montana where he grew up fishing, hiking and painting in the Absoraka-Beartooth Wilderness, north of Yellowstone Park.

 
Art was always a big part of Michael's life. He was a gifted drawer at a very early age. His love of art and experience in the outdoors of Montana led him to work for many years as a Natural Illustrator. He created hundreds of complex wildlife and habitiat paintings for clients like; the U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, Montana Fish and Game, and many others.
 
In 1991 Michael started something called Trout Portraits. He created detailed paintings of fish for catch & release fishermen.The idea took off and Michael painted hundreds of fish caught all around the world. The service expanded to all types of saltwater gamefish. Outdoor writer Jim Merritt wrote a feature article about Michael's work for 'Field & Stream' magazine entitled 'The Master's Hand'. Michael painted on TV for an ESPN fishing program and his work was editorialized in virtually every fly-fishing periodical. He continued to do the commissions but also began working on a style that would be more interesting in galleries.
 
Michael took his unsurpassed knowledge of fish and recently turned it 'loose' in a appealing, new technique he has developed.
 
In a day when so many things have been done, Michael's textured works are fresh, interesting and unusually energetic.  And while the paintings are loosely intuitive, they carry with them a depth that comes from a richly credible process.
 







































Article from FIELD & STREAM, about Michael's Trophy Portraits. Click to enlarge

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Below are 9 examples of countless illustrations Mike did over the years. Click to enlarge
 
 
 
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Migratory Birds
  
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Lewis & Nez Perce

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Dinosaur Natl Mnmt.






 

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Kingfisher Etc.

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Sacajawea with L&C

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Wetlands Inhabitants






 

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Cottonwood Tree Habitat

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Raptor Identification

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High Desert Habitat








































No portion of these images may be reproduced or copied without written consent from the artist.
Copyright Michael J. Mahoney
Website updated January 2012