Artist & Painter Rebecca Latham’s Nature & Wildlife Art

First of all, I need to thank everyone that came to the NatureWorks show in Tulsa this past weekend - It was fabulous to meet all of you…and see familiar faces again! My family and I really appreciate your support for us and our work. We really love what we do and are so pleased to see that others enjoy our finished pieces and the wildlife that is so meaningful to us as well! Thanks for making the 2008 NatureWorks one of our best showings in Tulsa! We look forward to seeing everyone again next year! ( www.natureworks.org )

Also…. Some gallery news - For those who may not know, we are now represented full time in Texas by Whistle Pik Galleries ( www.whistlepik.com ). Their gallery is one of the most beautiful show places that I have seen and the people who run the gallery are superb.

Our gallery in Montana is expanding ( www.moosehorngallery.com ) - they will soon be opening another Moosehorn Gallery in Washington state. The Montana gallery will also be having a large event this summer that we will be attending in Big Sky with a new collection of artwork. …so we will be busy at our easels for a while.

Lastly (..but definitely not least…) An article about our family, "A 24/7 Family Affair", is featured in this month’s issue of Wildlife Art Magazine. Thanks to Wildlife Art and our author, Fran Howard! ( www.wildlifeartmag.com )

This is a little different post for me… 

Years ago I learned that the way I painted my artwork (and the way my family paints) was painting "in miniature" and in a similar way that traditional miniature painters execute their work.  Because it is so directly related to the way that my family and I paint, I (and others in my family) have done quite a bit of study of miniature art and it’s history, thanks to encouragement of some of my friends.  I’ve written a brief article on the miniature based on conversations I have had and research of the subject that some of you may find interesting that can be read here.

For myself and my work, I’ve found that how miniatures were painted as well as various things that have influenced the art to be very interesting.  And, as I posted earlier, I have been using various traditional surfaces (or also referred to as ‘grounds’ ) in my more recent paintings because of my studies.  I believe it has stretched me a bit as an artist.

(Artwork pictured by miniature artist Nicholas Hilliard - 1547-1619)

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.

Thanks so much to Wildscape Magazine!!  The UK based wildlife art magazine used a number of our paintings to illustrate an article about painting wildlife in miniature.  Very nice!!

I just received a draft of the feature article about our family coming out in the next issue of InformArt Magazine –  www.informartmag.com.  I am so excited!!  She did a great job on it.  (Thanks Rose!)