“Black Walnut Brown Trout,” 26″ x 14″ x 2.5″
Artwork and photos by Mark Verna
Western New York artist Mark Verna is inspired by his love for the landscapes of the Finger Lakes and Adirondack regions of the Empire State. He is a wildlife and scenery artist who paints traditional works that depict scenes from this landscape, but he recently began a fascinating project that should interest fly fishers.
“Red Mantle Rainbow,” 34″ x 14″ x 3″
He wanted to create custom made fish art to give the appearance that fish are in their natural glory, and he experimented for more than a year—using tree slabs, resin acrylic paint, and natural elements—developed this method he calls Liquifish. The wood slabs or rounds are chosen from the sawyer with elements that inspire the overall look. Black walnut, white or red cedar, and catalpa are just some of woods used to frame these creek-inspired images, which also incorporate leaves, chestnuts, natural stone, and more. Each piece takes approximately two months to produce.
To see more of Verna’s work, visit his website or his Facebook page.
“Brook Trout Cedar,” 35″ x 10″ x 9″
“Brook Trout Green Oxide,” 25.5″ x 11″ x 2.75″
“Brown Mating Pair” end table.