Multi-award-winning local artist Robert “Mutt” Suttles wins again this year in the World Art Awards. After placing 4^th last year for one of his works, he entered two of his works this year. Both were winners. One placed second in the Oil, Figure category, and the other placed third in the Realism, Human category.

    The second-place winner is titled “Between Sound and Shadow,” a 36”x24” oil on canvas. It is a picture of a black male piano player, dressed in a white shirt with a black vest. The subject is so intricately detailed that a reflection of his right hand shows on the piano. His face shows that he is absorbed in his music. The background is mostly done in rusts, browns, and black, and is shadowed and less defined. It has a strongly nostalgic feel to it, but is so striking that one can almost hear the music. Suttles painted this one from a photograph.

    The third-place winner is titled “Guardian Angel,” a 32”x40” oil on canvas. It depicts a little girl standing on a wooden walkway against a brick wall. She wears a white dress with blue trim. Her hair is slightly disheveled, as a little girl’s hair might be if she has been playing. She is barefoot, and looking down at a blue stuffed monkey she is holding by a paw in her right hand. Her little dogs stands beside her, on her left. Just a little further to the girl’s left is an open doorway, under a Briggs Paint sign. Looking closely, one can see an angel in the doorway, the little girl’s guardian.

    “Guardian Angel” is a composite that Suttles put together. The little girl is a friend’s granddaughter. The monkey is his step-daughter’s toy. The dog is Suttles’ favorite pet, Lucy, now passed. The brick on the building is the same as the brick from South Jackson Performing Arts Center. The sign was taken from a photograph by Charlie West. Suttles paints all of his angels in the likeness of his wife, Bethany Cataldo Suttles. This work has a nostalgic feel as well, but is painted in much more detail.

    “Ruffled Curtains,” a 16”x20” oil on canvas has not yet been entered into a contest, but is a recent commissioned piece he painted from a photograph. The painting itself is of photographic quality, but with a depth and warmth a camera cannot produce. After posting a picture of the piece, Mutt said he was surprised at the overwhelming response. It shows a very humble home, but sometime, years ago, a woman put up ruffled curtains in that window. It speaks of the care, and even optimism, of that woman. Observers see that right away.

    Mutt prefers painting portraits, and his work speaks for itself. It is no wonder that the World Art Awards has named him as one of the top nine “World’s Best Contemporary Oil Painters” as well as one of the top nine “World’s Best Figure Realists.” Besides doing oil portraits, he also does pencil portraits, and they are every bit as detailed as his paintings.

    In his own words, Mutt says, “I try to make each of my portraits an heirloom that will be treasured for generations. I paint in the tradition of the old Masters, where I build multiple glazes to develop realistic, luminous, and deeply expressive paintings.” A portrait done by an artist of Suttles caliber and reputation would be an heirloom indeed. In spite of his status as a portrait artist, Suttles says he is more interested in making people happy with his work than he is with making the kind of money his work could command.

    Suttles honed his skills over a lifetime of technical illustration for Nasa, painting portraits of NASA Directors, generals, and private industry CEOs. One of his pieces, TCB, is now owned by the state of Tennessee, and is a part of the art gallery housed at the Parthenon in Nashville. When not on display at the Parthenon, the work has graced the walls of the offices of the mayor, as well as state senators and representatives.  The pencil drawing depicts five black children playing with a shopping cart. As with many of Suttles pieces, this one is intricately detailed.

    At 77, Mutt still paints every day. His works are currently on display at the Fine Arts Center in Tullahoma, and are even displayed at the Celtic Cup on occasion. He sells some of his paintings, and frequently does commissioned pieces. Suttles now resides with his wife in Moore County, where he has his studio. Mutt is on Facebook, and his website is  portraitsbymutt.com.