“As an artist who deeply appreciates detail, I always strive for simplicity. I find that I often land somewhere in between, hopefully capturing the essence of the scene, flower, or creature at the heart of the work. I enjoy drilling down into my subjects and learning from each experience, and my goal is to pass on that same sense of discovery and wonder through every piece I create.”

Working primarily in reductive relief printmaking, Monique Wales creates artwork inspired by nature, particularly the magnificent mountain landscapes in and around her home in Yosemite and throughout the Western United States. Through her work, she seeks to convey the vital importance of wild spaces and bring attention to their increasingly threatened inhabitants. Her goal is to translate the feelings of peacefulness, serenity, and wonder she experiences within the natural world into her prints. To achieve this, she spends significant time immersed with her subjects—from tiny wildflowers to epic vistas—sketching, photographing, and observing to capture their unique rhythms before beginning the development process.

Monique finds that the meditative, method-driven nature of printmaking enhances her creative experience. The process engages nearly all the senses: the tactile carving of the block, the rhythmic sound of the roller spreading ink, and the distinctive aroma of linseed oil. Ultimately, each piece culminates in a visual revelation as the final image slowly emerges. 

Monique’s relief prints and etchings are held in private collections throughout North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Europe, as well as several museum collections, including the Maryhill Museum of Art in Washington and the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wisconsin. Her work has garnered numerous honors and awards, including the Ironbridge Fine Arts Printmaker Prize at the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (NOPE2019). Her work was included in four Birds in Art exhibitions at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum between 2023 and 2026, and she has exhibited at Western Visions at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming in 2025 and 2026. 

She is a Member of the California Society of Printmakers, a Signature Member of the Society of Animal Artists, and a Member with Distinction of American Women Artists. Monique is a Certified California Naturalist. 

She lives and works in Oakhurst, California, in a sustainable, husband-and-wife-built home and studio located just minutes from Yosemite National Park.

Major Museum & National Exhibition Selections

Selected for Birds in Art (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026), one of the most prestigious wildlife art exhibitions in North America, hosted by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum.
Invited to participate in Western Visions 2026 at the National Museum of Wildlife Art.
Included in the Society of Animal Artists 66th Annual Exhibition (2026).
Featured in A Founder's Legacy exhibition presented by the Society of Animal Artists at Brookgreen Gardens.

Museum Collections

Artwork acquired for the permanent collection of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum.
Artwork held in the permanent collection of the Maryhill Museum of Art.
Works represented in private collections throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the European Union.

Notable Awards

Award of Merit (2nd Prize) – Fields & Farms, Carnegie Art Center (2026).
Best Print on Washi Winner – Print Day in May, The Japanese Paper Place, Canada (2026).
Best in Show – California Dreaming, Carnegie Arts Center for Eventide (2022).
First Place & Best in Show – Forests Forever, California Native Plant Society for Process of Success(ion) (2021).
Second Prize – The Printmaker's Hand V, Corvidae Press for Birds of a Feather (2021).
Ironbridge Fine Art Printmaker Prize – Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers National Original Print Exhibition, London, UK for Take Away (2019).
First Place – Santa Barbara Printmakers Summer Juried Exhibit for Forecast: Rain, Locally Heavy at Times (2018).

Permanent Collection Purchases

Skinny Dipper acquired by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum Permanent Collection (2023).
Fall Visitors acquired by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum Permanent Collection (2024).

International Artist Residencies

Completed the prestigious MI-LAB Advanced Program 5-Week Mokuhanga Residency in Echizen, Fukui, Japan (2024).
Artist Residency with Tetsuo Soyama and Chihiro Taki, MI-LAB, Japan.
Artist Residency with Terry McKenna, Karuizawa Mokuhanga School, Japan.

Solo Exhibitions

Present Sense – Solo Exhibition at Shari Brownfield Fine Art (2026).
Featured Artist Solo Exhibition at Mission Gallery, Cambria, California (2023).
Two-Woman Exhibition, Natural Wonders, Carnegie Arts Center (2018).

Leadership & Professional Recognition

Juror, CAC Art Showcase, Carnegie Art Center (2026).
Curator, AVIAN: Birds in a Changing World (2017).
Catalog Cover Artist, Sierra Art Trails Open Studio & Preview Exhibit (2017).
Signature Member, Society of Animal Artists.
Associate with Distinction, American Women Artists.
Member, California Society of Printmakers.