Artist in Focus: REN HATHWAY

TAKING CROSSHATCH TO NEW LEVELS!

I have always loved Ren Hathway's work and after finding his Website I am over the moon, as I'm sure you will be if you haven't already seen it!

Female Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis by REN HATHWAY

His shadow play is unsurpassed and his work in pen & ink and pencil is supreme

HIS WORK IS AS MEGA AS THE BIRDS HE ILLUSTRATES!

NEW FACEBOOK PAGE!

New Bird and Wildlife Art Facebook Page

Between Blog posts I thought I might create a facebook page dedicated to my Wildlife and Bird Art to upload bits and pieces that I'm working on. Also I hope to include things as well as other peoples artwork that inspire me in the world of Wildlife Art

Really hope you enjoy it, many thanks. Jack

North Sea Bird Migration Continued

I forgot to mention to checkout Natural Born Birder to see yet more amazing photos and info about migrants out in the north sea landing on man made super structures!.....WOW

I hope Julian Bell doesn't mind me borrowing a photo of his to advertise his website but i couldn't help but show it off...... doesn't get much more stunning than this!

Migrating Blackbird on the back deck of a vessel working near Sleipner B, Julian Bell March 2009

p.s The 1st winter Citrine Wagtail photo is a bit special!

North Sea Bird Club....WOW

For me there is nothing more mind blowing than bird migration!

I regularly sit awake in bed and count down the days until I will once again hear the the piercing 'srrri' of migrant Blackbirds rolling in off a drizzly north sea at Spurn.

For anyone who lives for those moments the North Sea Bird Club Website is for you and the pictures in the bird gallery speak volumes of how harsh a sea crossing must be and reinforces just how resilient birds are.

I think the reason why this website is so incredible is because we as land mammals only sea the birds leaving and arriving and rarely get to see what happens to them out there!

That's not to say we don't think about them out there but its hard for us to even imagine what they have to go through during their journey......its simply beyond our comprehension!

Female Blackcap May 2004 (Borrowed from North Sea Bird Club)

I have also attached some links to some Youtube videos of birds at sea that I found which i find truly amazing!...i just hope all the migrants re-orientated successfully

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1_aXZFZKeg (PrarieWarbler at Sea including a legend of a man giving it a drink, what a star!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrOe43-zGBQ (Asio Sp. at Sea, probable Short-eared Owl 500 Miles Out!!!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEm5sZ38Fls (Probable Yellow Warbler at sea?)

I also attached this one of what appears to be a White-throated Sparrow and can't get over why anyone would feel the need to scare a bird in general let alone at sea whereby it is seeking refuge on a boat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er_yPRUABwY

Lewington Brothers! LEGENDS!

I would like to thank Martin Garner for sharing this with the world on twitter as it is an awesome article!

http://www.richardlewington.co.uk/pdf/atropos.pdf

It was written by Richard Lewington (aka the wizard of invertebrate illustration) and looks at the benefits of  artwork over photography for identification guides

Check out Richard Lewingtons artwork at http://www.richardlewington.co.uk/

HIS SUBJECTS MAY BE SMALL BUT THEY ARE MOST CERTAINLY PERFECTLY FORMED!

AFGHANISTAN The UNKNOWN COUNTRY and Its very own SNOW FINCH!

For longer than I can remember I have been fascinated by Afghanistan and find the country, its people and terrain absolutely beautiful and fascinating and think the country (from what I have seen from friends photos and footage) simply stunning!

This post is not in any means about the military and political pressure imposed by the west on this unique Asian country or about my views on the situation there but more about the stunning people and its wildlife of this intriguing part of the world.

The following documentary was a fascinating eye opener to the parts of Afghanistan very rarely shown during press coverage of the country and a place i would like to think I may get the chance to visit in my lifetime.



After watching this film I couldn't get over the happiness and the beauty found within the rural communities despite their living conditons and living in severe poverty. The children were especially gleeful and had a certain air of magic about them. I remember thinking I needed to find away of capturing this through art and thought of know one who could capture the colour and the smiles of the children better than Patrick Gildersleeves who is by far my favourite non avian artist!!!

The best way to sum up Patrick's work is to think of a Masai elder with paintbrushes for fingers!

Freshly inspired by this film I commissioned this true gent to produce a piece of work that encapsulates what I love about this place. Not only did he hit the nail on the head but he brought a small piece of Afghanistan into my living room with some gouache and a paint brush and I can't thank him enough...its simply beautiful!

Honestly Patrick Gildersleeves is a genius and please take the time to look at his website and his blog. I'm sure you will agree his art is beautiful!

I also asked if he could incorporate a picture of Afghan Snow finch (Montifringilla theresae) which as endemic found only in the Hindu Kush (the mountain range between Afghanistan and Pakistan)

Afghanistan's very own finch can be found in Afghanistan's very first national park known as Band-e-Amir that was only designated in 2009. The park aims to protect one of Afghanistan's best-known natural areas: the spectacular series of six deep blue lakes separated by natural dams made of travertine, a mineral deposit. Travertine systems are found in only a few places throughout the world, virtually all of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list and are major international tourist attractions.

It is these blue lakes and the colour of the mountain streams that I find so beautiful and I can only further my gratitude towards Patrick for bringing these colours to life in this illustration.

I just hope I can visit this place one day and be fortunate enough to see such beauty! What a shame the snow leopard was wiped out of this area, If those stunning cats still frequented this area it would be unsurpassed.

Thanks for taking the time for reading a not so usual blog entry and hope you enjoy the art posted.

Best Wishes

Jack