Artists for Conservation Exhibition

[Laurene]

I'm very proud to belong to an organization that does wonderful work for conservation called Artists for Conservation. You may recognize the logo as it appears on many wildlife artists' sites.

They hold an annual international exhibition which raises funds for conservation. You can read about it on their site. Although I have been a signature member for several years, I have never submitted any artwork chiefly because if you see the list of members it is overwhelmingly intimidating. I was asked to submit something this year and was surprised to have one of my pieces selected for the virtual exhibition, as well as for inclusion in their annual book. I am so pleased that I can now contribute to the good work that they do.

This is the piece that was selected. If you'd like to see the list of contributing artists this year, here is a link: https://www.artistsforconservation.org/ ... nced-22763

[Mike Sibley]

First, congratulations on making the selected list! Richly deserved, as always, because this Jay is so full of life. I can almost hear it calling!

That's a brave composition, too. I can't quite figure out why it works, but it's finely balanced and works supremely well.

[Laurene]

Thank you Mike. I’m pretty sure that I drew this on your forum in 2019, but I couldn’t search that far back in the archives.

As for the composition, the jay did most of the work . This jay had been injured and rehabilitated but could not be released because of his injuries. The pose was all his idea,

I just aligned him with the diagonal of my sheet making certain that his head wasn’t centered on the page. Then it was just a matter of eliminating any extra branches or background elements that distracted from the subject.

[LindasPencils]

Congratulations Laurene! Well deserved recognition. And frankly, I am not surprised - your work is excellent! Have faith!

[Laurene]

Thank you Linda. It’s very much appreciated!

[Laurene]

Once again I am grateful to be included in this year’s Artists for Conservation 2023 virtual exhibit and book.

Two of my pieces were chosen, both of which I developed right here with my forum friends. As a matter of fact, the red-tailed hawk composition was a result of Mike pushing me beyond my boundaries at the time. Mike, you also generously shared one of your hawk reference photos which helped me complete the story I was trying to tell.

Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge with all of us over the years, and for guiding and at times challenging me to work out of my comfort zone!

[Mike Sibley]

Once again, I am grateful to be included in this year’s Artists for Conservation 2023 virtual exhibit and book.

Oh, boy.... where to start?
Grateful? To be honest, I think they should be grateful to have you and your talent available! Congratulations!

Two of my pieces were chosen, both of which I developed right here with my forum friends.

The goose is superb! You say so much, so simply.

If it isn't a goose, I apologise! I can't find the thread where you developed it.

I love the stillness of the water, described only by the reflections. The smoothness and texture of the snow that I could push my fingers into and feel the cold. And the way it's slowly thawing into the water along its edges. It's a very serene scene, in which the goose is perfectly settled and content.

Even the composition is perfectly balanced. It has just the right turns and features at just the right places to steer my eye around without it leaving the scene. It even has what I call a "stopper" in the top-left corner that gently points me back to the goose.

As a matter of fact, the red-tailed hawk composition was a result of Mike pushing me beyond my boundaries at the time. Mike, you also generously shared one of your hawk reference photos, which helped me complete the story I was trying to tell.

This is another of those "I wish I had Laurene's compositional skills!" piece. My bird fits in so well. Well, I suppose it would... but to me, it's a tethered bird photographed sitting on a section of tree stump at a major agricultural show in the UK... and here it is sitting in a Canadian drawing on a Canadian tree with a Canadian partner.

You've used the lighting so exceptionally well to focus our attention on the birds, but in a way that is totally unobtrusive.

Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge with all of us over the years, and for guiding and at times challenging me to work out of my comfort zone!

Briefly, when I first began drawing and exhibiting at art shows, I found everyone was super-reluctant to share any knowledge. I decided right back then to not follow that route. I see no logical reason why everyone should have to learn from their own mistakes when they can learn more quickly from mine.

And now, at my advanced age, I'm trying to unload everything stored in my brain into video. I'll have a new one ready soon. It's not long, but it's very graphics-heavy, so it's taking much longer to make than I anticipated. And I'm also working on two other scripts at the same time.

Congratulations again on your inclusion in the online exhibit and book. Very richly deserved!

[Laurene]

Thank you so much Mike! I’m just happy that my artwork can be put to good use.

Yes, that’s a goose! Actually it’s a snow goose. They’re usually all white with black wing tips, but there are colour variants. This is a blue phase snow goose. Each one will have a different pattern but I was lucky enough to photograph this beautiful individual. It was in late fall, on a grassy background, but I reimagined it returning in early spring so that it’s plumage would stand out against the snow.

I can’t remember if I drew these on this forum or on Artpapa, but I definitely remember everyone encouraging me as I worked on them.

I’m looking forward to the new videos. As long as you’re willing to teach, I’m willing to learn

[Mike Sibley]

Yes, that’s a goose! Actually, it’s a snow goose... I can’t remember if I drew these on this forum or on Artpapa, but I definitely remember everyone encouraging me as I worked on them.

Possibly Artpapa, or perhaps The Drawing Forum with me and JD Hillberry? That would explain why searching for "goose" at DWM didn't find your drawing. And I searched just in case I was wrong, and it wasn't a goose... although I was certain it was.

I’m looking forward to the new videos. As long as you’re willing to teach, I’m willing to learn

Apologies for hijacking your thread here, but while it's fresh in my mind... With the Intermediate level Creative Technique series almost completed, I'm taking a break and making a video for pure beginners. I've been wanting to do this for ages. It's more motivational than instructional, and aimed at YouTube viewers - so no musical intro and cut to the bone. But the graphics are taking me ages to build. I put 35 seconds together on the timeline yesterday that took me two days to prepare. But, It will all be worthwhile... I keep telling myself

I'm also writing the script for a video on enhancing reference photos. And a "split" video on drawing remarques - a "demo section only" video for YouTube, and the full version for DWM. That will include the commercial viability of remarquing prints, because they can be good income earners.

I'm also toying with the idea of rebuilding a "what if" spreadsheet I used to us about five computers and 30 years ago. I wrote it in Ability Plus that ran in DOS - before I even knew what Windows was!

Basically, you plug in the costs of a print, enter the edition size (if it's a Limited Edition), define the percentage retail/trade sales split, complete a few more pertinent fields and press CALCULATE to see your potential income. If I do that, it'll be an Excel file this time.

[Laurene]

Possibly Artpapa, or perhaps The Drawing Forum with me and JD Hillberry? That would explain why searching for "goose" at DWM didn't find your drawing. And I searched just in case I was wrong, and it wasn't a goose... although I was certain it was.

Yes! I’m sure you’re right. It must have been on The Drawing Forum. Artpapa is too long ago. I remember you and Linda and Bev and Kiran and so many other old friends helping me along.

I'm also writing the script for a video on enhancing reference photos. And a "split" video on drawing remarques - a "demo section only" video for YouTube, and the full version for DWM. That will include the commercial viability of remarquing prints, because they can be good income earners.

That sounds very interesting. I’ve never seen anyone else explain or discuss remarquing prints.

I'm also toying with the idea of rebuilding a "what if" spreadsheet I used to use about five computers and 30 years ago. I wrote it in Ability Plus that ran in DOS - before I even knew what Windows was!

Basically, you plug in the costs of a print, enter the edition size (if it's a Limited Edition), define the percentage retail/trade sales split, complete a few more pertinent fields and press CALCULATE to see your potential income. If I do that, it'll be an Excel file this time.

Excel is perfect for that! I wrote many macros in Excel in order to automate repetitive mathematical tasks, and it’s a wonderful program for that. It sounds like you’ll be busy for the foreseeable future!