Artist & Painter Rebecca Latham’s Nature & Wildlife Art

This is a scan of one of my older field sketches - a wild lupine from Wyoming.  I made this study as well as several others of the native summer wildflowers. 

During my last springtime research trek to Wyoming, I had the opportunity to study a wealth of wildflowers in the parks.  I have plans to do some similar research later this year.  I find that there are so many beautiful things to paint and sketch from my research in wild places, I often find it difficult to choose which subjects to use in my work. 

I am brushing up on a number of paintings and preparing to begin on a few new pieces for a number of exhibitions this spring/summer.  :D  If anyone has any comments, please drop me a note or post a comment here in the blog.  Your input is appreciated. 

I have been out in the field in search of wildflowers or other interesting things to sketch today.    This is a wild oat wildflower that is just beginning to bloom here in Minnesota. 

Springtime is a time of new growth and renewal.  It is constantly changing.  New blossoms and plants are busy unfurling for the coming seasons.  Songbirds have recently arrived from their winter vacation spots and are again singing in the treetops.  I find it is very uplifting and inspiring to get out of the studio and experience it.

This is one of the pages from my sketchbook featuring some springtime sketches I made in the field.  The bloodroot just started blooming a few days ago (left sketch), and the ferns are just starting to come up.

So many paintings, so little time.  I wish I could paint every inspiration.  I get so many ideas for new paintings.  It’s impossible to paint them all.

Aside from my commissions, I have been doing some research for a number of new pieces lately - for the planned exhibition out west in particular.  I will be posting my sketches for the paintings (when I get that far).  :D 

Busy, busy.  I am working on my many commissions.  They are coming along fairly well.  :D  I will be listing some of them on the blog soon - in their color versions. 

I have a number of new paintings that I will be starting on (& posting about) when I get past a few of my deadlines.  There never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done.   :roll: 

I have been wanting to post this in the blog for a little bit, but haven’t gotten around to it until now.  I have been working primarily on the head and shoulders of the moose bull since my last posting - adding more fur texture and detail.  For my next revisions of the pre-cast sculpture, I will be refining the detail on the logs and boulders at the base of the sculpture.  I will be doing some work on the antlers fairly soon as well. :) 

I recently did a little rearranging in my studio - going through a few things.  In doing so, a few items resurfaced (isn’t that always what happens?).  Among them, were some paints I have been neglecting to use in my work.  It’s strange.  It seems I have so many tubes of color, that I never seem to use all of them at the same time.  Perhaps that’s why artists have been known to go through "color phases".  :roll:

I’m eagerly looking forward to doing a little wildlife study. :D  I have been spending quite a bit of time glued to my easel lately.  I try to schedule "inspiration" into my routine, such as studying wildlife or nature.  It becomes very difficult to paint creative or inspirational pieces when you are unable to go out because of deadlines and the pressure to produce new work .

I get quite a few questions at exhibitions and via email about various aspects of being a professional artist.  One of which is the subject of commissioned work.  As you may already know, I am working on quite a number of commissions at the moment.   All of them on display on various easels in my studio.  I have a great deal more of them than I did a short time ago.  If the murmurings are correct, my prediction is that there will only be more of them in the future.  It is a little overwhelming at times, having so many things just "waiting" for me in my studio. 

I know that numerous artists tend to dislike commissions, and refuse to take them.  Most often, artists paint (or sculpt) things they feel connected to.  There is usually a story behind a work of art that impacted the artist and generated the inspiration to make it.  So, when a subject is predetermined, it is difficult at times to muster enough creative inspiration to plunge through some of them.

With that said, I should clarify that I really don’t mind painting commissions.  It is rather interesting to have a subject for a piece requested.  Often, I find that it makes me think of creative concepts and arrangements to make an idea "work" in a painting that I may have never thought of before.  A creative exercise or puzzle, if you will.  In a sense, the act of painting itself becomes the inspiration.

My family and I were recently contacted by several magazine publications in Britain about our artwork, etc.  Both interviews/articles should be available to the public soon.

Interaction with other countries often makes me think of the uniqueness and similarities of the United States’ art community and market in comparison to other cultures.  How artwork and artists in other countries are accepted (such as Japan, where artists are considered national treasures).  There is such variety.  Often just a brief exposure to artwork of another culture will stir up a little inspiration or creativity.

I have met quite a number of artists from England and other areas of Europe, both on the web and in person.  It is fascinating to see the different approach to painting (or sculpting) and mood expression an artist has based on the influence of where he or she resides.  The spice of life.

I am so inspired!

The weather is changing - it seems there has been a nearly constant thunderstorm or spring drizzle outside of my studio window.  It has also often accompanied by a chorus of songbirds enjoying it as well.  Fresh.  Clean.  Spring 

I recently started on (another) painting - a miniature (well, it isn’t much more than a sketch at the moment ;)  ).  I decided I should paint something from my studies last year in the western US.  Of course, I am spending most of my time brushing up on a number of commissions I have sitting on a number of easels in my studio.  Back to the drawing board…..