Aug 2, 2009
Wildlife Photo Shoot
I recently came back from a wildlife photography workshop with Paul Burwell at the Triple D Game Farm in Kalispell, MT. Other than having to get up at 4:30AM (ugh) every day, it was lots of fun and I got some great shots that are going to make some nice paintings. I got photos of a Canadian lynx, baby bobcat, foxes, coyotes, wolf, black bear, cougar, baby raccoon, river otter, and an absolutely magnificent Siberian tiger. I took about 2,000 pictures! Not being an expert photographer, they aren't all usable, but I have more than enough good ones to keep me painting for a few years. Now the hard part is going to be trying to decide which to paint first!
Jun 5, 2009
Call of the Wild
I haven't posted for a long time. With the economic downturn and the closing of Wildlife Art Magazine, the life of a wildlife artist has become discouraging. My art has temporarily taken a back burner. I haven't given up on it, but in light of the situation other things have taken priority.
It won't stay that way forever, however. Every day my canvases and paints call to me as I walk past my open art room door, and every day their calls get louder. Sooner or later I won't be able to ignore them any more.
It won't stay that way forever, however. Every day my canvases and paints call to me as I walk past my open art room door, and every day their calls get louder. Sooner or later I won't be able to ignore them any more.
Sep 1, 2008
Originals must go
My originals have not been available for sale for a while. My goal was to wait until I had painted a rather large collection of originals and present them to a gallery for sale. But I just don't have the space. My studio is getting crowded and it's time to let some go. First up for sale is my painting of a mother giraffe and her baby. Click the image for more info.
May 20, 2008
Wildlife Art Magazine Ceases Operations
Sad news. An excerpt from an email I received the other day:
The email did not say why the company is closing down but I contacted Paul Montag from the magazine to confirm that is, indeed, true. It appears to have been a surprise to most of the employees there.
This is particularly sad for me. Wildlife Art Magazine has been around for at least 30years I believe. It's been there for me as long as I've been in the wildlife art business and it's always been my main source of news and information on the wildlife art world. There's nothing out there I know of that can take its place. I truly hope someone does buy the company and keep it going. It will be sorely missed by many in the wildlife art world if it's gone for good.
Dear Wildlife Art magazine community,
It is with deep regret that we announce that Wildlife Art magazine ceased operations Friday, May 9. We remain hopeful that someone will purchase the magazine and continue to operate it for the benefit of wildlife art lovers around the world...
(edited to remove names, personal email addresses, and phone numbers)
...The Wildlife Art magazine staff is tremendous! Should you choose to work with any of them on future projects know you'll be working with talented professionals.
We appreciate the three-plus years of relationship we've had with each of you, and wish you well.
Sincerely,
Keith and Tricia
The email did not say why the company is closing down but I contacted Paul Montag from the magazine to confirm that is, indeed, true. It appears to have been a surprise to most of the employees there.
This is particularly sad for me. Wildlife Art Magazine has been around for at least 30years I believe. It's been there for me as long as I've been in the wildlife art business and it's always been my main source of news and information on the wildlife art world. There's nothing out there I know of that can take its place. I truly hope someone does buy the company and keep it going. It will be sorely missed by many in the wildlife art world if it's gone for good.
May 1, 2008
Art Shows - May 2008
Note: These are not listings of shows I will be participating in. They are just art shows with wildlife and/or western themes that may be of interest to you.
March 1 - June 1
The Art of Robert Bateman
The Wildlife Experience
10035 South Peoria
Parker, CO 80134
720-488-3300
http://www.thewildlifeexperience.org/
April 1 - May 16
The Horse in Fine Art
Columbia Art League
111 South Ninth St
Columbia, MO
573-443-8838
http://www.aaea.net/2008springshow/default.htm
April 18 - May 9
Masterworks for Nature Celebrates the Wilds
Cincinnati Art Galleries
225 East 6th St
Cincinnati, OH
513-232-0954
http://www.masterworksfornature.org/
May 2 - 4
27th Annual Decoy & Wildlife Art Festival
Havre de Grace Middle School
Recreation Center
Havre de Grace, MD
410-939-3739
http://www.decoymuseum.com/special.html
May 2 - 24
Native Visions
A Collection of Work by William Sitting Bull and William Zelt
304 E. Elkhorn Ave
Estes Park, CO
970-586-9203
http://www.estesarts.com/gallery/index.asp
May 2 - June 14
17th National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils
Dana Gallery
246 N. Higgins
Missoula, MT
406-721-3154
http://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/17thNationalShow.htm
May 3 - 4
Reflections of Nature
Art Center at Fallbrook
103 S. Main
Fallbrook, CA
760-728-1414
http://www.fallbrookart.org/
May 9 - June 8
Walk on the Wild side with Jim Oliver
104 E. Main Street
La Grange, KY
502-222-3822
http://www.gallery104.org/Gallery%20104/Navbar/events.html
May 10 - 11
Montana Wildlife Art Show
Holiday Inn Downtown
200 S Pattee St
Missoula, MT
406-721-8550
http://www.wildlifefilms.org/festivals/iwff/index.html
May 16 - 18
Ellensburg National Art Show & Auction
Kittitas Valley Event Center
512 N Poplar St
Ellensburg, WA
509-962-2934
http://westernartassociation.org/
May 17 - 18
Peppertree Art Show
3631 Roblar Avenue
Santa Ynez, CA
805-688-6205
http://www.peppertreeartshow.com/
May 17-18
Sculpture in the South
Azalea Park
Summerville, SC
843-851-7800
http://www.sculptureinthesouth.com/
May 24 - 26
34th Annual
Memorial Day Weekend
Western Art Show and Sale
Courthouse Plaza
Prescott, AZ
928-778-1385
http://www.phippenartmuseum.org/events/westernartshow.html
March 1 - June 1
The Art of Robert Bateman
The Wildlife Experience
10035 South Peoria
Parker, CO 80134
720-488-3300
http://www.thewildlifeexperience.org/
April 1 - May 16
The Horse in Fine Art
Columbia Art League
111 South Ninth St
Columbia, MO
573-443-8838
http://www.aaea.net/2008springshow/default.htm
April 18 - May 9
Masterworks for Nature Celebrates the Wilds
Cincinnati Art Galleries
225 East 6th St
Cincinnati, OH
513-232-0954
http://www.masterworksfornature.org/
May 2 - 4
27th Annual Decoy & Wildlife Art Festival
Havre de Grace Middle School
Recreation Center
Havre de Grace, MD
410-939-3739
http://www.decoymuseum.com/special.html
May 2 - 24
Native Visions
A Collection of Work by William Sitting Bull and William Zelt
304 E. Elkhorn Ave
Estes Park, CO
970-586-9203
http://www.estesarts.com/gallery/index.asp
May 2 - June 14
17th National Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils
Dana Gallery
246 N. Higgins
Missoula, MT
406-721-3154
http://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/17thNationalShow.htm
May 3 - 4
Reflections of Nature
Art Center at Fallbrook
103 S. Main
Fallbrook, CA
760-728-1414
http://www.fallbrookart.org/
May 9 - June 8
Walk on the Wild side with Jim Oliver
104 E. Main Street
La Grange, KY
502-222-3822
http://www.gallery104.org/Gallery%20104/Navbar/events.html
May 10 - 11
Montana Wildlife Art Show
Holiday Inn Downtown
200 S Pattee St
Missoula, MT
406-721-8550
http://www.wildlifefilms.org/festivals/iwff/index.html
May 16 - 18
Ellensburg National Art Show & Auction
Kittitas Valley Event Center
512 N Poplar St
Ellensburg, WA
509-962-2934
http://westernartassociation.org/
May 17 - 18
Peppertree Art Show
3631 Roblar Avenue
Santa Ynez, CA
805-688-6205
http://www.peppertreeartshow.com/
May 17-18
Sculpture in the South
Azalea Park
Summerville, SC
843-851-7800
http://www.sculptureinthesouth.com/
May 24 - 26
34th Annual
Memorial Day Weekend
Western Art Show and Sale
Courthouse Plaza
Prescott, AZ
928-778-1385
http://www.phippenartmuseum.org/events/westernartshow.html
Jan 1, 2008
WAY Competition Deadline Extended
The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) has extended the entry deadline for its Wildlife Artist of the Year competition to Feb 1, 2008 so there's still time to enter!
It's open to all artists worldwide, professional or amateur. The winner will receive a £10,000 prize. The runner up will receive £1,000 and the winner of each category will receive £500. The categories are as follows:
Endangered Wildlife - any wild animal or plant that is threatened or endangered nationally or internationally
Wild Places - any scene or landscape showing the natural environment at its most beautiful or dramatic
Wildlife in Action - any wild animal jumping, fighting, flying or any other interesting behavior
Wildlife in 3D - sculpture using any medium
Abstract - let your imagination go wild!
For more information visit the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) or the Wildlife Artist of the Year website.
It's open to all artists worldwide, professional or amateur. The winner will receive a £10,000 prize. The runner up will receive £1,000 and the winner of each category will receive £500. The categories are as follows:
Endangered Wildlife - any wild animal or plant that is threatened or endangered nationally or internationally
Wild Places - any scene or landscape showing the natural environment at its most beautiful or dramatic
Wildlife in Action - any wild animal jumping, fighting, flying or any other interesting behavior
Wildlife in 3D - sculpture using any medium
Abstract - let your imagination go wild!
For more information visit the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) or the Wildlife Artist of the Year website.
Nov 11, 2007
Encourage or Discourage Young Artists?
In every issue of Wildlife Art magazine there is an article about a successful or up-and-coming wildlife artist which talks about how they got where they are today. Sadly, nearly every one of them I read about seems to have been discouraged from pursuing art at some point in their lives. No matter how talented and enthusiastic the young artist was there was always someone, often an art teacher, counselor, or parent, who strongly discouraged any notion the child may have had about being an artist when s/he grew up. Why is this?
I myself, despite having a father who was very artistic, was strongly discouraged by both parents from even thinking about becoming an artist. It was so thoroughly knocked from my brain as a child that after years of struggling in college to decide on a major I never even considered art an option. Now I look back and so often wonder why.
I just don't understand why every non-artist (and many artists) are so quick to tell you that doing art for a living is "impossible" and a sure path to homelessness and despair.
Yes, I understand it is often a difficult road, but there are many paths in life that are difficult. Being a doctor, for example, is actually quite difficult. Medical school is extremely difficult, takes many, many years, costs a fortune, and leaves the graduate stressed and in an enormous amount of debt. Then, of course, s/he has to survive internship, also quite difficult. But do parents discourage their child from dreaming of being a doctor? No! What "good" parent wouldn't prefer their child pursue a career as a doctor instead of an artist? Very few, I'd imagine.
Why? I'm not sure. But I'd imagine it's because they believe all doctors are rich, and all artists are poor. Yeah, maybe, on average there are more doctors earning good salaries than artists. But I have known doctors who struggle financially, and there are many artists who are doing quite well.
But it's more than about money. For some reason in this country having your child grow up to be a doctor is something to brag about. Having your child grow up to be an artist is something to be ashamed of and deny.
I finally graduated from college with a degree in Business Administration. Six months after graduation I decided there was no way this was the life for me. I quit my job and started painting full time. One day my father asked me what he was supposed to tell people I do for a living now. I told him to tell them I'm an artist. He visibly cringed and replied that he couldn't possibly do that. He'd have to make up something up because it would be too embarrassing to tell people his daughter was an artist.
But it wasn't just my father. My mother also discouraged me, not because she was embarrassed by the idea of having a daughter as an artist but because she really believed, for some reason, that no one buys art. How could I possibly make a living when no one would ever buy one of my paintings?
And, of course, there were art teachers. It seems every art teacher in school believed that all artists were either starving or teaching, so unless I wanted to teach, I shouldn't bother to pursue art.
Yet, every issue of Wildlife Art magazine has stories of artists who have managed to "make it" to some degree in the art world. And this is just wildlife art. I'm sure there are many more landscape, still life, and portrait artists, among others, who are doing OK for themselves in the art world. So every time I read the story of some artist who made it despite discouragements I have to wonder how different things would have been had they listened. And then I wonder how many more artists there are out there who actually did listen to the discouragements and are now working in some dead-end job they hate, the world deprived of their works, they deprived of their dreams.
So if you are a teacher, counselor, parent, or just a concerned friend, and you know someone with dreams of becoming an artist, please do not discourage them. Let them try and find out for themselves one way or another. You may think you are saving them from disappointment but you may actually be destroying a dream that could have come true and now, because of you, never will.
I myself, despite having a father who was very artistic, was strongly discouraged by both parents from even thinking about becoming an artist. It was so thoroughly knocked from my brain as a child that after years of struggling in college to decide on a major I never even considered art an option. Now I look back and so often wonder why.
I just don't understand why every non-artist (and many artists) are so quick to tell you that doing art for a living is "impossible" and a sure path to homelessness and despair.
Yes, I understand it is often a difficult road, but there are many paths in life that are difficult. Being a doctor, for example, is actually quite difficult. Medical school is extremely difficult, takes many, many years, costs a fortune, and leaves the graduate stressed and in an enormous amount of debt. Then, of course, s/he has to survive internship, also quite difficult. But do parents discourage their child from dreaming of being a doctor? No! What "good" parent wouldn't prefer their child pursue a career as a doctor instead of an artist? Very few, I'd imagine.
Why? I'm not sure. But I'd imagine it's because they believe all doctors are rich, and all artists are poor. Yeah, maybe, on average there are more doctors earning good salaries than artists. But I have known doctors who struggle financially, and there are many artists who are doing quite well.
But it's more than about money. For some reason in this country having your child grow up to be a doctor is something to brag about. Having your child grow up to be an artist is something to be ashamed of and deny.
I finally graduated from college with a degree in Business Administration. Six months after graduation I decided there was no way this was the life for me. I quit my job and started painting full time. One day my father asked me what he was supposed to tell people I do for a living now. I told him to tell them I'm an artist. He visibly cringed and replied that he couldn't possibly do that. He'd have to make up something up because it would be too embarrassing to tell people his daughter was an artist.
But it wasn't just my father. My mother also discouraged me, not because she was embarrassed by the idea of having a daughter as an artist but because she really believed, for some reason, that no one buys art. How could I possibly make a living when no one would ever buy one of my paintings?
And, of course, there were art teachers. It seems every art teacher in school believed that all artists were either starving or teaching, so unless I wanted to teach, I shouldn't bother to pursue art.
Yet, every issue of Wildlife Art magazine has stories of artists who have managed to "make it" to some degree in the art world. And this is just wildlife art. I'm sure there are many more landscape, still life, and portrait artists, among others, who are doing OK for themselves in the art world. So every time I read the story of some artist who made it despite discouragements I have to wonder how different things would have been had they listened. And then I wonder how many more artists there are out there who actually did listen to the discouragements and are now working in some dead-end job they hate, the world deprived of their works, they deprived of their dreams.
So if you are a teacher, counselor, parent, or just a concerned friend, and you know someone with dreams of becoming an artist, please do not discourage them. Let them try and find out for themselves one way or another. You may think you are saving them from disappointment but you may actually be destroying a dream that could have come true and now, because of you, never will.
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