Artist & Painter Rebecca Latham’s Nature & Wildlife Art

This is a new miniature I painted that went to England for a miniature art exhibit. It is a finch with apple blossoms and is a little smaller than 4×6. My Dad has some awesome flowering fruit trees that I love …which inspired this painting… (I have ’spring fever’ -I’m really wishing for spring around here to look like spring. :p )

The little bird isn’t life-sized…which I really would have loved to paint him (I love painting things life-sized and the challenge to make them look like they will walk off my artboard ). The piece was painted to be shown in this exhibition which has an image area limit, and he had to be arranged compositionally in the painting with the flowers…this was the most pleasing arrangement that I came up with.

I really would like to paint the concept as a 6×8 or a little larger sized miniature so that I would have more space for everything… (Maybe the next painting… lol!)

This is a photo slide show of the MASF exhibition in Largo, Florida (where one of my paintings was awarded the Best Work by a Young Artist Award). There really was a variety of work there. The newly elected president of the MASF was there at the show, whom I met for the first time - he told me that the collection of paintings that I had in the show sold out. (I was also told a little bit about some of my newest collectors…

I was very pleased to attend the exhibition with Joan Willies RMS (originally from the UK, an accomplished miniature artist and author that I met the first year I entered the MASF exhibition) and the workshop of artists that she brought to the exhibit.

Joan was hosting a workshop, teaching miniature art, at her studio in Florida. There were students who flew in from different parts of the US for her course that week. …and being in Florida already, of course I HAD to go see her! (She’s a sweetheart, who could resist!) …as anyone who has had the experience knows, lunch with a workshop of artists is completely unforgettable!! Too much fun! …and everyone was (and is) so sweet!! I was pleasantly surprised to see familiar faces, too. The "art chats" were fabulous!! (Thanks so much, Joan!! )

These are a few more photos from Florida…

 At the end of 2007, my Mom, Karen, sister, Bonnie, and I returned to the Artists For Conservation, an association/society of artists that is dedicated to conservation of nature.   The profile for my membership on the AFC foundation’s website has just gone "live", with my family’s soon to follow.

Artists for Conservation Foundation (AFC)
http://www.natureartists.com
"The Artists for Conservation Foundation (AFC) - formerly the Worldwide Nature Artists Group (WNAG) - is a non-profit, international organization dedicated to the celebration and preservation of the natural world. The Foundation represents the world’s leading collective of nature artists and an unparalleled pool of artistic talent focussed on nature. The organization’s mission is to support wildlife and habitat conservation, biodiversity, sustainability and environmental education through art that celebrates our natural heritage.  The Group is the most progressive and prestigious organization in the world of nature art and represents hundreds of millions of dollars in artwork."

I am very pleased to post that my Mom, Karen, sister, Bonnie, and myself have become members of two prestigious art societies from New York. The first has been in existence for nearly a century for American artists. The second has been supporting women artists for over one hundred years. I am very proud to be a part of these societies that have such a history of helping and supporting artists.

The Allied Artists of America (AAA)
http://www.alliedartistsofamerica.org
"Founded in New York City in the year 1914 to the present, the Allied Artists of America, Inc. will continue to achieve its goal of furthering the cause of contemporary American artists. Allied Artists of America, Inc. It is a non-profit National Art Society composed of artists & sculptors from the across the country. The offices and exhibition galleries are both located at the elegant historical landmark, The National Arts Club."

Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club (CLWAC)
http://www.clwac.org
"A national organization to show and promote works by professional women artists, founded in 1896. The Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, CLWAC, has been supportive of women artists for over one hundred years. The club is very proud of the high standard of quality and respect that our members have in the art world."

I am very pleased to announce that my Mom, Karen, and I have just been accepted into the International Guild of Realism (IGOR).  I was encouraged to participate in the society by a friend I met online that is an existing member who drops by my blog occasionally, artist Cindy Haase (  http://cynhaase.blogspot.com/  beautiful colored pencils…definitely worth the click.. ).

International Guild of Realism
http://www.realismguild.com
"Our mission is to advance realism in fine art through museum exhibitions, art gallery shows, workshops, education programs, marketing support and Internet exposure.

For us, “realism” ranges from classical realism (based upon the traditional, academic-style painting techniques) to contemporary realism (where cutting edge techniques and subject matter are used to comment on today’s world). Trompe l’oeil, photorealism, surrealism, and super-realism are some of the genres included within the range of realism choices for modern artists, as well.

The International Guild of Realism was founded by a group of leading professional realism artists from around the globe in 2002 with four goals:

• Recognizing the best realists working today
• Creating exhibition opportunities
• Providing technical and promotional support
• To offer a bridge between art collectors and the highest quality realist art, created by our members

It’s all based upon the proven belief that the more art lovers of the world have access to high-quality realism, the greater the value these paintings will have. Value not just in monetary terms, but in appreciation, understanding and international attention.

For art collectors, we create juried exhibitions in museums and galleries that span as many aspects of realism as possible so that they can see the panorama of international work in this field in one show. For museums, we curate themed exhibitions that provide a snapshot of where realism is today. For fellow artists, we provide information about workshops conducted by members and magazine features about realism techniques so that the quality of the art form continues to improve around the world.

It’s all based upon one simple premise: The more realism artists succeed in the competitive art world, the greater the benefit to the art lovers of the world."

"The Courage of Integrity"
"The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity.  Choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over popularity…  these are the choices that measure your life.  Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing."

I was very pleased to hear that my handheld miniature, “Turtle Jam”, will be a part of the Society of Animal Artists national museum tour.  The painting was in the SAA’s 47th exhibition that opened at the Wildlife Experience Museum in Parker, Colorado.  The touring exhibit will be making stops around the country during 2007 and 2008.

The painting is painted in watercolor like most of my other work and measures about 3” x 8”.