Barry MacKay Blog 

Barry Kent MacKay’s first drawing identifiable as a bird species, was a belted kingfisher, done in crayons on the back of a bed tray, and he’s been drawing and painting birds ever since.  Illness forced him form schooling at age 16, but self taught, he has divided his time between animal protection and environmental work and writing, and his bird art.  The latter has appeared in numerous scientific journals, including The Auk and the Wilson’s Bulletin, and lately each issue of Ontario Birds.  He has illustrated books on birds of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and the first bird guide to the Galapagos, as well as various other books and journals, including books and articles he was the nature columnist for Canada’s largest newspaper for 25 years.

“I try,” he says, “to avoid most shows, and producing large numbers of “prints”, taking pride in being able to sell actual, original art at prices any middleclass person can easily afford.  To me the act of doing art is where the reward and gratification lies, and all else is fine, but it is the doing that counts.”  He has travelled the world, and sometimes paints other wildlife species or other subjects, “But,” he says, “I am never very far from the birds, and painting them.”