Leslie McDonald Jr

I have been a fulltime artist since 1986. As a watercolor artist, my paintings give expression to my obsession for nature in all its forms, colors, and designs. With watercolor as my media and my passion, I concentrate significantly on nature, wildlife, birds, landscapes, seascapes, and sporting art, but I also pursue a variety of other subjects as well. Always an admirer of birds, I paint many species, mainly from the Texas gulf coast. Capturing their color, their action, their moods, and their subtle mannerisms provides me with both delight and challenge.

Working with watercolor paints allows me to do many things with this medium. I find that I can experiment more with watercolor than all other media combined. With watercolors, I like to paint, drool, scratch, dab, mop, salt, and incorporate a wide variety of other techniques. Primarily, I paint in high detail capturing a scene that presents nature in its many patterns, shapes and spirit.

BS Degree in Commercial Art, minor in Photography, 1967 - Sam Houston State College, Huntsville, Texas

Awards & Honors

* Watercolor Art Society-Houston, 2nd Place 2019 International Show
* Watercolor Art Society-Houston, 1st Place, Monthly Shows, 1st Place April & 1st Place May 2018
* Society of Watercolor Artists, Ft. Worth, Texas - International Show 2018
* Watercolor Art Society-Houston - International Show 2018
* Splash 17 (North Light Books) - "Alaska Crab Traps" 2016
* Houston Safari Club - Artist of the Year 2015
*Southwest Watercolor Artists Annual Show, Honorable Mention, 2015
* American Watercolor Society 147th Annual International Exhibition, New York, NY, 2014
* Watercolor Art Society-Houston, International Show- 1991, 1994, 2004, 2011, 2012, 2013
Achieved Elite Signature Status - 2013
* Watercolor Art Society-Houston, 3rd Place Annual Membership Show 2013
* Watercolor Art Society-Houston, Honorable Mention April Member Show, 2011
*Watercolor Art Society-Houston – Honorable Mention 2009
* Best of World Watermedia Artist, Volume II (Book) – 2012
* Rockport Art Association, Annual Membership Show, Merit Award Artist 2011, 2013
* * Best of America Watermedia Artist, Volume II (Book) – 2010
* Rockport Art Association – “Sporting Art Show” ~ 1998 – 2006
* Texas Most Wanted Exhibition – Texas top Wildlife & Sporting Artists - 2003
* The Doves Sportsman's Society, National – Dove Stamp & Print - 2003
* Cloister Gallery – One man show -2003
* Quail Unlimited, National ~ Quail Stamp & Print ~ 2002
* Waterfowl U.S.A. - Artist of the Year ~ 1990, 1991, 1996
* Waterfowl USA National Sponsor Print Artist ~ 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005
* Brazosport Artist Association Museum ~ Two Man Show ~ 2000
* 1st Place Watercolor ~ Salado Art Fair ~ 1998
* Rockport Art Festival ~ 1985 – Present
* Florida Wildlife Exposition ~ 1995, 1996
* National Wildlife Art Show, Kansas City, KS 1995, 1996
* NatureWorks Show, Tulsa, OK ~ 1994 – 1996
* Texas Ducks Unlimited Artist of the Year – 1993-94
* Texas Ducks Unlimited – State Sponsor Print Artist ~ 1992-93
* South Carolina Duck Stamp Competition ~ 1989 Top Ten, 1990; 5th Place, 1991; 6th Place,
Honorable Mention -1993
* Idaho Duck Stamp Competition - Top Ten ~ 1990
* 1st Place Landscape Watercolor - Memorial Visual & Performing Arts Competition ~ 1989
* Texas Art Award - Pasadena Gulf Coast Art Society ~ 1989
* Southeastern Wildlife Exposition - Charleston, SC ~ 1989 - 1995
* Waterfowl Festival, Easton Maryland, 1990 - 1997
* Watercolor Art Society-Houston, 3rd Place, Realism Competition - 1995
* Member ~ Watercolor Art Society-Houston – 1986 to Present

Teach watercolor workshops at the Watercolor Art Society-Houston since 2014

Rockport Art Festival, 32 years
Waterfowl Festival, Easton MD
Southeastern Wildlife Expo, Charleston, SC
Natureworks, Tulsa, OK
National Wildlife Art Festival, Kansas City
Florida Wildlife Expo, Orlando, FL

I have always painted. I started in the 1956 in the 6th grade. I have painted ever since. While attending college, I was fortunate to meet John P. Cowan. He is probably the premier sporting art artist. He liked my work and we became fast friends.

realism, nature, landscapes, seascapes, wildlife, watercolor