Artist Creates Detailed Animal Portraits on Metallic Wood Panels

Mixed-media artist Marie Lavallee is a great reminder that creativity doesn’t have to follow just one path. She first fell in love with painting in high school, went on to build a career as a goldsmith, and then found her way back to painting after turning 50. Although she shifted mediums, traces of her earlier craft remain ever-present—Lavallee incorporates elements of gold and copper leaf into her striking portraits of birds and woodland animals.

From barn owls and quails to pigeons and crows, Lavallee has painted an impressive range of avian animals. Each piece is created on a wooden panel layered with geometric shapes of metal leaf, which she then paints over to add extra depth. Her feathered subjects are carefully rendered with layers of fine brushstrokes, creating a rich texture that looks just like real plumage.

Though birds are her focus, Lavallee has recently turned to woodland mammals, creating portraits of foxes, hares, squirrels, and mice in her distinct style. She often pairs two animals together—a mammal and a bird, two mammals, or a bird and an insect—capturing the close-knit biodiversity of the woodland.

Lavallee’s stunning, nature-inspired work was recently exhibited at The Other Art Fair in Los Angeles, where she was one of the stand-out artists. We recently caught up with her to delve deeper into her practice. Read on for My Modern Met’s exclusive interview.

When and how did you first get into painting?

I loved painting when I was a kid, and it was such a fun way to express myself. My mom signed me up for a community class, and we even had an exhibition! I was so bummed when one of my paintings had a red dot. I felt like I had totally bombed! Tears of despair turned into tears of joy once I understood what the red dot meant.

How did your time at the Sylvia Araya Painting Academy shape the way you see and approach art today?

When I was a high school student in Quebec City, I found solace in painting lessons at Sylvia Araya’s Painting Academy at night. It was a safe haven during a time of upheaval.

She taught me to look beyond the surface, to see the intricate layers of colors and light in the world around me. Silvia was a cultured, exotic, and internationally acclaimed painter and a generous teacher. She was using colors I had never imagined. Living in a world wrapped in white for most of the year, frozen in snow, her colors were a brilliant contrast to my environment. She had assistants who had studied at L’Ecole Des Beaux Arts in France, and they were always a source of encouragement. It was my happy space.

I hear the echoes of her lessons when I start mixing colors. My home studio is my current happy space.

What draws you to birds and woodland animals as your primary subjects?

Birds are my passion, and I’m drawn to their vibrant colors and unique textures. They are goofy with tons of personality.

I primarily use a fine rigger paintbrush, and I adore layering colors with delicate strokes to create rich textures.

As a child, I was captivated by the swallows and chipmunks that lived near our cottage. The Barn Swallows would swoop down on us when we got too close to their nests, and I was mesmerized by how their feathers shimmered in the sunlight. It was incredible to make eye contact with these amazing creatures. To me, it felt like magic. Right now, I’m trying to capture that special feeling—when an animal and someone watching it both recognize each other.

Do you observe these animals in real life, work from photographs, or build them from imagination?

Living in a very urban environment, I work mainly from photo references. I do quite a bit of research online and then use bits and pieces of a lot of reference to paint a subject, like using the beak of a crow, with the feet of another crow and the body position of yet another crow, I piece all that together to paint the crow that I have in mind.

I’ve been adding some fun, whimsical touches to the feather work on my birds lately, it adds a dimension to the work that I find just so enchanting.

Is there a particular species or creature you feel especially connected to?

I especially enjoy painting California quails and roadrunners. When we first moved to our home in Southern California, a flock of California Quails visited our backyard, and I was instantly captivated! They’re so adorable with their little head feathers bobbing as they wander around.

Roadrunners like to dash by as I walk trails around my home, and I find them incredibly enchanting.

But my absolute favorite bird is a barn owl. I feel a connection to their quiet and observant nature, their excellent camouflage, and how hard they are to spot during the day.

Your work pairs highly detailed animals with bold, graphic shapes. What inspired that contrast?

Finding my own artistic voice was quite the journey! I’ve always been enchanted by a modern Zen look, especially the powerful contrast between a bold, peaceful background and a beautifully detailed subject painted in a classic style. As a graduate goldsmith with a background in jewelry, I’ve always been fascinated by metals, especially gold and copper.

The moment everything clicked for me was when I started using wood panel as an aesthetic element in my mixed-media paintings.

The tear-drop background shape is a portal, halo, or sun-moon element, becoming a quiet part of the artwork. I paint on birch panels with rounded corners, which gives the whole piece a special look that really makes the vision pop.

Putting a detailed subject against a contemporary background gives a fresh take on something that’s been around for ages. I want to give the Audubon style of painting birds a new twist.

After years in the jewelry industry, what made you return to painting, and did it feel like picking up where you left off or starting anew?

When I turned 50, I had a life altering experience, and I felt like it was time to rethink everything. Now or never….Right?

One of my dreams was to get back into fine arts and start painting again. Around that time, my youngest son took this amazing photo of a steel pigeon, and I just HAD to paint it. I actually painted it five times! I was completely back in love with the creative process.

I felt so free to go back to my first love, and I had a lot to learn to find my own style. I loved every part of that journey, even the challenges.

What draws you specifically to materials like gold and copper leaf?

That’s where my inner goldsmith shines! I absolutely adore how the transparent colors blend beautifully with the metal leaf. Sometimes, I like to add a unique touch by applying fine bits of colored metal leaf over the painting.

I suppose I’m a bit of a magpie—I’m drawn to anything that sparkles!

How do you see your work evolving in the coming years?

I’ve been challenging myself by adding woodland creatures into my work. This chapter will eventually reach its end and my thoughts will drift to new ideas, but I’m not in a rush to close this one just yet. I always feel so happy in the studio. Trust the process.