I have been a freelance illustrator for 25 years and have worked for a who's who of corporate America including Berol Pencils, Blockbuster Videos, Cirrus Logic, Clark American, Coors, Diamond Shamrock, Duracell, Frito-Lay, GameTek, H. E. B. Brand Grocery Co., Kellogg, Lucasarts, Mattel, MCI, Procter & Gamble, Orkin, Sega Genesis, and Thermos/Warner Brothers.
Born into a military family, I am the oldest of five boys. I started drawing at an early age. Due to my obsession with doodling, I had a tendency to neglect my school work. After 4 years in the Marine Corps, I acquired my art education at the Art Institute's of Fort Lauderdale and Atlanta. I work from my home studio and enjoy living the country life in rural Alabama, with my wife Vicki. My family consists of my two sons, Rusty and Andrew and my two stepsons, Eric and Tim (US Army). I enjoy fishing, hiking, and playing horseshoes.
I've sold work in galleries over the years, but I am currently choosing to represent myself by selling my work exclusively. The Internet allows me to offer quality works to a wonderful worldwide clientele without the costs of gallery commissions or framing. The result is a direct-from-the-artist product that is available for auction, other online venues, my personal website, or through the dozen or so juried shows that I am accepted to show at each year. My art is my livelihood and by purchasing my original paintings, illustrations and prints you help put food on the table for my family (two sons at home, 10 cats, 8 royal palm turkeys, 1 rooster, 2 chickens, 2 cockatiels, 2 sun conures, 1 green-cheeked conure, 1 hedgehog, 1 bearded dragon, 1 frog-eyed gecko, my wife and me).
THANK YOU!
Awards and Competitions.
July, 2008- Honorable Mention in My Art Space online Annual Spring Art Competition. Jurors: Myartworkspace staff.
September, 20008-JUROR'S MERIT AWARD and 1st Place in the 2-Dimensional Artwork Open Division in the Artist Guild Of Northwest Georgia 1st Annual Open Online Art Competition. Juror: Michael Connell
October, 2008-Award of Merit, Oil and Acrylic category at the Southern Appalachian Art Guild National Juried Show. Juror: Alan Flatman
January 2009-Top 10 of show most-voted in Work of New Year (online) sponsored by Guests Gallery, Lilburn, GA.
February 2009-Five Special Recognition Merit Awards "6th Annual Color Juried Online International Art Exhibition"hosted by�Upstream People Gallery. Juror: Larry Bradshaw, Professor of Art at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Professor Bradshaw states this about this specially recognized work: "'WALT CURLEE of Phenix City, Alabama has some of the strongest works in the show. His oil painting is brilliant in terms of style and technique. In Appalachian Pumpkin Patch� he shows a view upon a hill looking down on a quaint farm. The undulating rhythm of the rolling hills presents a wonderful typography. In his Cultivating The Peas� he shows a simple man in overalls and hat plowing the soil with horses pulling, showing an appreciation for the old ways. With his wonderful sense of space, he shows a young person walking down the pathway in the foreground with his dog, his caught fish, pale and fishing pole in his work called Fish For Supper�. Continuing with his theme of the pleasant farmland, he presents Raking The Hay� with the flowers in the front and the red barn in the distance, while cows graze peacefully. And in The Veon Farm� he shows the expansiveness of the land with a stream flowing through. In all his works he shows some interesting cloud formations.'"
April 2009-selected as one of 40 artists in the Direct Art Competition to be included in "Direct Art Fall 09 edition" annual bookazine publication.
April 2009-Olde Town Fine Arts National Juried Competition, Conyers, Ga.
May 2009-Won acceptance into the prestigious American Juried Art Salon's 2009 Spring/Summer show. The work, "Appalachian Pumpkin Patch" was accepted into the Acrylic/Oil division. The art can be seen starting June 12, 2009, at www.artjury.com. Click on “AJAS Online Galleries.”
May 2009- Art League of Hilton Head 2009 National Juried Show, Hillton Head, NC.
June 2009- Ist Place and Best of Show Award in the "Ultimate Artist of the States (USA) National Juried Exhibition" ,sponsored by ArtHouse Lounge, Harrisburg, PA. Juror: Dr. Robert Toyaku Troxell
July 2009- 4th place in Art for God International Christian Art Competition. Jurors: Carla Tocquigny, Owner, Artbeat of America; Stephen Sawyer,Owner,ART for GOD; Cindy Sawyer, President, ART for GOD; Rick Tocquigny, Chairman of the Board, Artbeat of America; Martin Powell, 2007 ICAC Winner in Music. Stephen Sawyer states this about this Walt's winning painting "Cultivating The Peas": Walt, I really like your art. This is what Thomas Hart Benton wants to paint like when he grows up. Your winning piece reminds me of the scripture: Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God. "Luke 9:61-62 ...Great work. I am honored that you participated this year.
August 2009- Best of Show in First Fall 2009 Contemporary Art Online Exhibition, sponsored by artCompete, Cincinnati OH. Jurors: a regional panel of artists. Painting to be on exhibit at www.artcompete.com beginning September 01, 2009 to November 30, 2009.
March 2010- Grand Prize in '2009 Garden Art Competition' hosted by Horticulture Magazine. The winning painting "Appalachian Pumpkin Patch" will appear in the December issue of Horticulture.
April 2010- 1st place in "Big Frontier Awards" & honorable mention in "Friendly Faces Awards" at the Oklahoma Friendly 2010 National Juried Show. Jurier: Mitch Lyons.
May 2010-received an Award of Excellence and three Special Recognition Merit Awards for artwork in the "12th Annual Contemporary Art Juried Online International Art Exhibition" hosted by Upstream People Gallery. This international exhibition received approximately 300 entries from around the world and 54 artists were selected by the juror Laurence Bradshaw, Professor of Art at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, U. S. A. Professor Bradshaw states this about this specially recognized work: "'WALT CURLEE of Phenix City, Alabama has an extraordinary facility with oil painting with a unique observance of a type of regional perspective. “Coon Gap Holler”, “Shucking Corn ‘Til Sundown”, “Taking Pumpkins To Market” and “Family Garden” are all brilliantly conceived and masterfully presented."'
May 2010-one of 12 finalist's for May in the 4th Annual Raymar Art Fine Art Competition for "Springtime On The Farm".Judge: Brian Stewart. Judge's Comments: A Decorative, not Representational painting that is reminiscent of Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Woods. Wonderful design of forms. In a day and age of loosey goosey painters, it’s nice to see a tight, well crafted painting.
May 2010-3rd place in "E K P H R A S I S: Art that inspires poetry" international national juried online competition. pondered by Art Scene Today.
June 2010-Honorable Mention in Arts Alliance 27th Juried Open Exhibition. "Appalachian Pumpkin Patch" was selected as part of 60 paintings juried from 300 artists, held at Williams Tower Gallery, Houston Tx.
August 2010-One of 146 accepted out of 437 artists for inclusion in the 2010 online exhibition at www.ArtKudos.com. Juror: Mitchell Albala, author and instructor at the Gage Academy of Art in Seattle.
September 2010-Honorable Mention award in the 2010 International Fantasy Art Contest (online) at My Art Contest.com. Juror: Katy Betz.
September 2010-Finalist in the Only Originals National Invitational (online). Sponsored by Only Originals Gallery of Fine Art, Benton, AR. Jurier: Carol Anna Fullerton-Samsel, Artist-Owner.
September 2010-Two 1st place awards, category 14-Fantasy Landscape. One 3rd place award, category 36-Realism Landscape With Figures. One 3rd place and a 4th award place, category 40-Romanticism, in the 2010 American Art awards hosted by Thom Bierdz, Phillip Chancellor III on The Young and the Restless and author of Forgiving Troy. Juried by 25 fine art galleries acrossed the USA.
Stay tuned there is more to come!
United States
