Artist & Painter Rebecca Latham’s Nature & Wildlife Art

 

This is a painting I completed earlier this year that recently arrived for exhibit at Whistle Pik Galleries in Texas.  (I just realized that the painting hadn’t been posted on the blog yet :/ …oops. )

I love painting parrots…and being able to get to see them and watch their personalities.  You may already know, most of the time I tend to paint native North American wildlife - but I do break away occasionally to paint the intense colors as in this Blue and Gold Macaw.   This painting sat on my easel for a while to be sure the sheen of soft light and varied feather color came out correctly to reflect the softness.  It also has a great amount of detail work in all of the feathers and the other areas of texture - very fun to paint.  The miniature painting is 9×12 and painted in watercolor on board. :D  Enjoy! - Thanks for dropping by!

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I get together with my friends and talk about some of the things that have happened in my ‘adventures’ as an artist…and at least they think that it should be written somewhere… So, as per their request…

At one time, I was represented by an art dealer. There was a beautiful art show, an elegant opening complete with gourmet hors d’oeuvres and wines. The dealer had set everything up and invited clients….they started to arrive…

One couple was looking at and discussing one of my pieces, and then talking to the dealer. Busy with other clients and such, they talked a while before I was motioned over to their conversation. I greeted them and was shown my painting that the people were interested in. It was a new piece of a baby animal that I had done, arranged in the image space so that part of the body was cropped…done on purpose so that it felt like it was up close and personal. The client wanted to know if I could have the entire baby shown. I confirmed that I could do a commission that way, but this one was painted as it was…there wasn’t any more of the animal behind the frame to show. My art dealer, eager for the sale, decided that I could easily use wall spackle to patch another piece of art board to that end of the piece and continue the watercolor painting and began to describe the process….

(Hmmm…uncomfortable situation…. No, for the record, I don’t “spackle” my art together in chunks. Lol! The client decided they liked that piece as it was and now have it in their collection. The dealer is still selling art…just not mine… )

(No, this little fawn isn’t the painting being discussed…just eye candy… )

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A quick post about an event that will be showing some of my (and my family’s) paintings - an avian themed exhibition. The "It’s For The Birds" exhibition is being held at the Eugene H. and Dorothy Kleinpell Gallery in River Falls, Wisconsin. The opening reception is being held this Sunday (March 16th) from 2-4 pm. The University of Minnesota Raptor Center will be at the opening giving a presentation "All About Owls" at 2pm. The exhibit runs through April and has special events scheduled for the weekends during the show. ( Get directions )

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This is the beginnings of a drawing for another miniature watercolor piece I have in the works.  I was requested to paint a more aggressive pose of a black leopard as a smaller miniature, so this is a 5×7 of a leopard ready for an attack. 

The subject of the painting is a cat that, though he was in captivity, he was very intent on stalking my sister.  (Which was odd, because I am usually the one who is stalked. )  So…  it was a nice opportunity to gather some wonderful references of a very intense cat. He was absolutely beautiful.  I hope to do him justice in the painting.

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There are also many Bed and Breakfasts in the area.  I thought that it was a very quaint and beautiful little town.  It was very interesting for me to see a little bit of what is here, though it is a brief trip, having some German heritage of my own.

I can’t get away from my studio too often due to deadlines and  all of the paintings that I have to complete.  (…though, I can’t complain…)  But it is nice to get out occasionally and not always be trapped in my studio (…there are many things waiting for me back there).

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Here are some snapshots of the gallery during the opening event for the Christmas Miniature Show (www.whistlepik.com).  I was very pleased that all of my family’s paintings in the show were sold out when we arrived. The exhibit space is set up very beautifully, and as you can see there was quite a crowd.  For those who haven’t been to the Whistle Pik Galleries before, the gallery also has a courtyard featuring a collection of large bronzes (as well as a fountain and gardens), and a second gallery building with some of the larger works and the gallery’s offices (which also have beautiful collections of artwork.)

Though I don’t paint in that style, I really enjoy the free Western style of painting….a style of painting that is represented well in the gallery.  I met a very nice artist, Qiang Huang, and his wife.  He has some of his lovely still life works on his blog…his originals were very nice.  I also enjoyed seeing some artwork from Africa, a collection of small etchings, and a beautiful large piece by Norman Rockwell.

It is very inspiring for an artist to go see beautiful artwork, showspaces, and different environments – not to mention meeting so many interesting artists and clients.  Many thanks to Tim Taylor from Whistle Pik and all of the gallery’s personnel for their wonderful hospitality.  ….and for the lovely artist’s party as well! (…which was also amazing….and delicious. )

My family and I will be supplying the gallery with more work for exhibition in the gallery regularly.  I am hoping to complete more pieces for them soon…

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Thanks to Ron Kobli and everyone from the Decoys & Wildlife Gallery in Frenchtown, NJ for such a nice show!  My family and I were pleased to meet many of our collectors from the area.

If you happen to be near Frenchtown, be sure to drop by the gallery to browse the paintings and art.  They still have quite a collection of our pieces for the holiday season - both smaller and larger pieces.  (www.decoyswildlife.com)

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This landscape (top) is a view from Paradise Valley, where our Montana gallery, ‘Moosehorn Gallery‘ is located. 

We painted in the gallery showroom again for the event - thanks to them for a great show. We hope to be back to see everyone next year for the gallery’s upcoming events.

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My family and I will be a part of the Jackson Fall Arts Festival - participating in our gallery’s events.  We will be painting in the showroom on Friday & Saturday (possibly on Thursday evening as well) for their "Fall Roundup" exhibition.  I will be painting this new cougar piece - this is the sketch for the painting.  The painting is a larger miniature - it will be around 16×22 when it is finished.

Visit Galleries West’s website, www.gallerieswestjacksonhole.com, for the gallery hours and contact information.

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