GO WILD

As fellow residents of Earth, wild animals have always fascinated humans, especially the artists among us. Thus many creatures appear in prehistoric cave paintings, and today the desire to depict them endures, stronger than ever.

The artworks illustrated here confirm this ongoing enthusiasm, and it’s easy to learn more thanks to a host of activities happening across North America. For example, in Charleston next February, the annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (sewe.com) will again delight animal lovers with exhibitions, demos, and other activities highlighting the importance of conservation. Touring the country are the annual Art and the Animal exhibitions organized by the Society of Animal Artists (societyofanimalartists.com), and then there is the annual festival hosted by Artists for Conservation

(artistsforconservation.org), which features an exhibition by leading international artists, screenings, demos, and performances. (This year’s edition is scheduled for September 22–25 in Vancouver.) Look out, too, for the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole (Wyoming, wildlifeart.org) and Wisconsin’s Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum (lywam.org), which hosts an annual Birds in Art exhibition.

These are just a few of the impressive array of offerings in wildlife art — all encouraging evidence that this longstanding genre is alive and well.

(CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) GARY JOHNSON (b. 1953), African Crowned Crane , 2017, mixed media on handmade silk paper, 11 x 10 in., private collection AKI KANO (b. 1974), Starling , 2020, watercolor on paper, 9 x 12 in., 33 Contemporary Gallery (Chicago) CALVIN LAI (b. 1972), Elevated Eating , 2021, oil on canvas and wood panel, 48 x 24 in., Abend Gallery (Denver) KRISTEN SANTUCCI (b. 1970), The Wise One , 2022, oil on copper panel, 7 x 5 in., available through the artist

(CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) JESSE LANE (b. 1990), Abyss , 2019, colored pencil on Bristol board, 28 x 39 in., private collection (limited-edition prints available through RJD Gallery, Romeo, Michigan) WALTER MATIA (b. 1953), Southfork , 2021, bronze (open edition), 13 x 31 x 8 in., available through the artist REGINA DAVIS (b. 1985), Blue Bliss , 2022, oil on board, 8 x 10 in., available through the artist VERYL GOODNIGHT (b. 1947), The Sage , 2018, bronze (edition of 35), 12 x 5 x 14 in., available through the artist CATHY SHEETER (b. 1979), Just a Hare to the Left , 2021, scratchboard, 16 x 20 in., private collection DALE MARIE MULLER (b. 1972), P erfect Darkness , 2021, graphite on paper, 11 x 17 in., available through the artist

(CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT) SHERYL BOIVIN (b. 1962), Female Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) , 2021, pastel on Pastelmat, 9 x 12 in., available through the artist JAMES MORGAN (b. 1947), Resting Tundra Swans , 2010, oil on linen, 24 x 36 in., private collection BRUCE PIERCE (b. 1961), Heading for Greener Pastures , 2019, oil on canvas, 11 x 14 in., available through the artist DIANNE MUNKITTRICK (b. 1954), Around the Bend , 2022, oil on canvas, 30 x 40 in., available through the artist DUSTIN VAN WECHEL (b. 1974), Making Dinner Plans , 2022, oil on linen, 48 x 24 in., available this September at the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale (see page 105)