Official Gallery of Canadian Wildlife Artist Glen Loates R.C.A.

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Glen Loates painting the Wood thrush with bird skins from the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in 1979

One-of-a-kind works by Glen Loates. View the Originals

Glen Loates outside by mushrooms kneeling with sketchbook and smiling

GLEN LOATES BIOGRAPHY

DISCOVER

Glen Loates in the studio using animal skins as reference while painting owels

Glen Loates in the studio using animal skins as reference.

WORK METHODS
glen loates and president reagan

Glen Loates in the Oval Office presenting his Bald Eagle painting to Ronald Reagan.

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Historic deep sea dive

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Barn Swallows by Glen Loates, giclée on paper: barn swallows swooping through a cloud-filled sky
Barn Swallows by Glen Loates, detail of the painting
Barn Swallows by Glen Loates, detail of the painting
Barn Swallows by Glen Loates, the complete painting

Barn Swallows

$91 - $204

Preview this work in a styled room, or on a photo of your own wall. Works on your phone, tablet or computer.

Complimentary shipping, carefully packed and delivered to your door.

Our promise to you: if a piece doesn't feel right in your home, let us know and we will make it right.

About the Work

Three barn swallows are caught mid-hunt against a soft summer sky, mayflies rising on the breeze. Painting birds in flight is one of the hardest things in wildlife art — most attempts feel either frozen or false. Glen solved it with watercolour, spending whole afternoons watching the swallows that nested near his Maple, Ontario studio, sketching the same wing positions over and over until the geometry of the dive became second nature.

That patience reads in every feather. The iridescent navy of the back, the rust-orange throat, the precise rake of the forked tail — none of it is decorative. It is what is actually there, painted by someone who looked.

About the Artist
Glen Loates outside by mushrooms kneeling with sketchbook and smiling

Glen Loates R.C.A. has spent his life paying close attention to the natural world. Largely self-taught, he began his professional career at eleven, and in 1974 he was elected to full membership in the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

He works from field study and museum study skins rather than photographs, making as many as forty-five pencil sketches of an animal before he paints it, and he begins every painting from the eye.

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan accepted Glen's life-size Bald Eagle in the Oval Office, a gift Glen painted and conceived himself, making him the first Canadian artist represented at the White House.

Listen to Glen's biography · 9 min

The full written biography is on the Biography page.

Read the full biography →
Format & Materials

The format

  • Fine-art giclée reproductions of Glen's original paintings, with rich colour and subtle detail.
  • Shipped unframed, ready for the framer of your choice.
  • A natural way to begin a collection or build a gallery wall.

Materials

  • Heavyweight, museum-quality, acid-free paper (230 g, 9.5 mil) in neutral white.
  • Archival, fade-resistant pigment inks.
  • A 1" white border for matting and framing.
Care
  • Until framed, keep it in its sleeve or tube and handle by the edges.
  • Support the paper fully when unrolling, and never bend or crease it.
  • Frame with acid-free mats and backing; UV-filtering glazing adds protection.
  • Display away from direct sunlight and humidity.
Delivery & Returns
  • Made to order and on its way within 3 to 4 business days.
  • Shipped rolled in a sturdy tube.
  • Delivery usually takes up to a week once shipped, depending on your location.
  • Complimentary shipping with tracking.
  • If your piece arrives damaged, email [email protected] with a photo and we'll send a complimentary replacement.
  • Not right for any reason? Contact us within 30 days of your order date.
Our returns promise →
  • Museum-Quality GicléeArchival inks on acid-free fine art paper, faithful to Glen’s original.
  • Complimentary ShippingCarefully packed and delivered to your door at no charge.
  • Our Promise to YouIf a piece doesn’t feel right in your home, let us know and we will make it right.
  • From the Loates FamilyThe official gallery of Glen Loates R.C.A., run by his family.

About the Artist

Glen Loates R.C.A. has spent his life paying a particular kind of attention to the natural world. He never attended art school.

His professional career began at eleven, when he designed the Canadian Cancer Society’s daffodil logo, used by the organization for several decades. In 1968 he won the Royal Philatelic Award for Canada’s first full-colour postage stamp, the Gray Jay. In 1974 he was elected to full membership in the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, the first wildlife painter invited to join.

In December 1982, he presented his life-size watercolour of a Bald Eagle personally to President Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office, a gift from the people of Canada to the people of the United States. Reagan called it “a breathtaking representation of America’s symbol.” He is the first Canadian artist to be represented at the White House. His originals have also been presented to His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and to Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

His work has been exhibited at the Royal Ontario Museum, the British Museum, the Alexander Koenig Museum in Bonn, and the McMichael Canadian Collection. Three major volumes document his career: The Art of Glen Loates (1977), Birds of North America (1979), and A Brush with Life (1984).

He is a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts and the Explorers Club.

Discover the full story
Glen Loates outside by mushrooms kneeling with sketchbook and smiling
Glen Loates in the studio using animal skins as reference while painting owels
glen loates and president reagan

The Craft Behind Each Giclée

Each giclée is produced by one of the world’s most respected fine art printers, with more than 40 years in the craft. Professional-grade Epson printers lay down archival inks on acid-free paper, so the colour and detail Glen put into the original hold true for a lifetime.

Shared by our collectors

In Collectors' Homes

Glen's work has hung in homes for decades. Here are a few pieces where they live now, photographed by the collectors themselves.

  • Cottontail Run by Glen Loates above a collector's mantel

    “…brings to mind fond childhood memories walking with my father.”

    Linda F.

    Cottontail Run

  • Red Fox and Kits by Glen Loates, framed in a collector's home

    “We love the print very much. A few years ago, we had a beautiful fox arrive at our home.”

    Betsy B.

    Red Fox and Kits

  • Three framed works by Glen Loates in a family collection

    “I have so many fond memories of growing up with the wildlife prints that truly inspired imagination and made our house a home.”

    Michael G.

    A family collection, begun in the late 1970s

  • Stalking Lynx by Glen Loates in a rustic birch frame

    “I choose prints from here because of the incredible detail and he is a Canadian artist.”

    Barb R.

    Stalking Lynx

  • Loon canvas by Glen Loates hanging in a lakeside home

    “It's hanging beside a lake that has Loons. Nice setting.”

    Christopher W.

    Loon

  • Cottage Visitor canvas by Glen Loates on a cottage wall

    “This piece really brings out their personality and looks great at my cottage.”

    Anne G.

    Cottage Visitor

  • Young Cheetah with Fireflies canvas by Glen Loates above a side table

    “I love your father's work and will be back again for more.”

    Anne G.

    Young Cheetah with Fireflies

  • The Sentinel by Glen Loates, framed in a collector's room

    “Looks great in the room, and compliments the colours and theme I am going for.”

    Lynda H.

    The Sentinel