The sole visible eye of Clint Eagar’s tiger, “Stalker” is a lucid yellow, the glistening focal point of a piece so startlingly realistic that for a moment it seems like a large-as-life photograph. However, it’s not Mother Nature, but rather Eagar’s painstakingly refined brush-strokes that
have brought this beast to life. It’s also a fine example of the animal-centric paintings for which Eagar is increasingly known, with the Safari Club International’s Artist of the Year Award (2020 and 2021) to prove it.
Eagar was raised and educated in South Africa, spending many childhood years exploring places like Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s largest game reserves. Eagar went on to study art at the Johannesburg School of Art. After he immigrated to the United States at the age of
16, he attended the Fashion and Art Institute in Dallas, Texas. By the age of 23, Eagar was designing consumer products for stores such as Pier 1, Kirkland’s, Z Gallerie, Books-A-Million, Costco, and JC Penney.
Fast forward many busy paint-splattered years, you'll find Eagar returning to his African roots with a painting line-up that includes appearances by familiar safari faces: leopards, elephants, lions, and rhinos. In addition to wildlife, his realist style has ranged from fashion themes and Formula One race cars to diverse landscapes. Now settled in Florida, there’s an Emerald Coast influence clearly discernible in his “Aquatic Collection.”
In addition to maintaining a working studio and gallery in Grayton Beach, Florida, Eagar has just opened a second gallery in downtown Franklin at 342 Main Street. For now, he’ll be splitting his time between Grayton Beach and Franklin, where he’ll spend a weekend each month for Franklin’s First Friday Art Crawl. At the grand opening in May, he unveiled his brand new tiger painting. His more hyper-realist works can take months to finish, some of which are available to pre-order as limited edition prints.
Whether away snapping reference images on safari or traveling locally, Clint Eagar is always finding inspiration for his fine art exhibits. Visitors at a Clint Eagar gallery will be able to learn more about his work and ultimately find just the right piece to liven up their space.
ClintEagerDesign.com
