Carel Pieter Brest van Kempen grew up in Emigration Canyon, Utah, an ideal place to explore and indulge his youthful fascination for the wild and its varied inhabitants. It wasn’t until he was approaching his thirtieth birthday that he decided to pursue a career in art. It was then that he felt his skills had reached a point at which it was conceivable that he could be successful as an artist.

Brest van Kempen’s meticulously executed paintings explore the rich variety of nature. He begins his artwork with small compositional sketches, and then completes a finished drawing. He then refers to his slides to verify markings and anatomical details, he traces his drawing onto a board and then does an under painting. Once he begins the actual painting, it takes him approximately one-and-a-half hours to complete an area the size of one square-inch (most often with acrylics).

Brest van Kempen’s paintings have received widespread acclaim and have been exhibited throughout the world, earning a number of prestigious awards in the United States. In 1994, he was elected to be a member in the Society of Animal Artists, which bestowed on him their highest honor, “The Award of Excellence,” eight times (1994, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2014).

Brest van Kempen’s work can be found in the permanent collections of The Springville Art Museum in Utah; The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, WI; The World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho; and the Bennington Center for the Arts in Vermont.

To learn more about Carel Pieter Brest van Kempen and view more of his artwork visit: www.cpbrestvankempen.com.