New Insect/Art courses for 2014/5

I am busy ploughing ahead with planning new adult art courses for next year. Some great new subjects and lots of exciting stuff to come for the new year.... I would love to see you at any of these events, especially if you love drawing and painting in detail and bugs!!......See the list of courses below the images.......

Friday 7th November 2014 – 10 a.m – 4 p.m. “Studying and Painting Butterflies and Moths”. Another fascinating project run in conjunction with the Society of Biology. This course is a unique opportunity to study and then paint, fascinating specimens of various butterflies and moths. The course will make use of high-powered microscopes and beautiful specimens, in order to produce an intricate and beautiful painting……to register, click here.  https://www.societyofbiology.org/events?event_id=472

Saturday November 8th 2014 – 10 a.m – 4.00 p.m.- University of Bristol, Botanic Gardens, “Butterflies, Beetles & Bees” painting workshop. This watercolour painting workshop is for beginners and for those who love insects and want to find out more about their fascinating anatomy, and diversity of colour and form…..In short, it is designed to celebrate their hidden world. Painting such small and intricate creatures can be difficult because of the challenges thrown up by their size. On this course, participants will be using high-powered microscopes and other magnification equipment, such as hand-held magnifying glasses, as well as macro photographs from Cath’s own collection, as well as Cath’s own collection of fascinating insect specimens

March 21st and 22nd 2015 – Royal West of England Academy/Bristol Drawing School. “How to Paint a Butterfly”. More details soon.

11th and 12th April 2015 - Nature in Art. “A Fascinating & Unique Insight into the Secret World of Butterflies, Beetles and Bees”

This sketching workshop is for all skill levels and for those who love insects and want to find out more about their fascinating anatomy. Using microscopes, participants will discover insects’, diversity of colour, form, and shape…..In short, it is designed to celebrate their hidden world. …Cath’s courses are totally unique and completely absorbing. Do come along and enter a fascinating and unseen world……More details to follow.

18th and 19th April 2015 – Slimbridge Wetlands Trust – “Painting and studying Insect Lifecyles” - The process of metamorphosis is an amazing biological feat. This two-day course will study this process in all its beautiful and mystical detail and then use the medium of art to produce a unique and detailed piece of natural history painting.

 FRIDAY MAY 15TH – SUNDAY MAY 17TH 2015 – Minchinhampton Market House “Painting Plants and their Pollinators” 

An art course tutored jointly between Cath and RHS Gold Medal winning Botanical Artist, Julia Tricky. Cath and Julia invite you to come and push the boundaries of Botanical Art, by spending time with each artist studying and drawing both flowers and their pollinators.

This course is mixed media, with your choice of pencils, pen & ink and watercolours or coloured pencils – A materials list will be provided.

June 12th 2015 – Painting and Understanding Insect Lifecycles. – Painswick Rococo Gardens. More details to follow……   

“July 10th 2015, Friday 2015 – Slimbridge Wetlands Trust - “Beautiful British Bees – Paying homage to the hidden detail of bees using art”. Where would we be without pollinators and particularly bees? This sketching course will use microscopes and beautiful specimens to study the hidden anatomical beauty of bees and will then use art to pay homage to them by producing a unique and intricate sketch. Something very special and totally unique. More details to follow……..

More dates and venues to follow………

Tate Galleries ask me to comment on their Insect Art for National Insect Week.

23–29 June is National Insect Week, a bi-annual celebration of all-things creepy crawly.....Click to see my comments on 12 pieces of artwork in either The Tate Modern or Tate Britain, that feature insects.  http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/blogs/pictures-national-insect-week ......so pleased to be asked and great fun to do!




King Edward and the Colordo Beetle - Mark Wallinger 2000

"Reviled or revered, how do artists who feature in Tate’s collection, treat these mysterious minibeasts? Wildlife and Natural History artist Cath Hodsman explores this question within the captions of her handpicked slideshow."

Bloomsbury Publishing have asked me to do 2 painting articles for aspiring artists.

I have had such great fun doing an interview for Bloomsbury Publishing's website designed to help young aspiring artists and writers "Writers and Artists". http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/artists/advice/341/an-artists-toolkit/interviews-with-artists/
 
This was followed by two painting tutorials. I have just finished one and the other will be posted next week. The first is dedicated to my favourite subject.....insects!! This is the macro photo from my own images that I recreate in watercolours.....

....and this is the link to the tutorial......  http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/artists/advice/382/an-artists-toolkit/finding-inspiration/
I really hope that both the interview and the tutorials help to inspire and guide aspiring artists in their early years, especially when it can seem like nothing is going as you plan.

How my Microscope will enhance my One Day Insect Painting Courses at WWT Slimbridge

After my Microscopy day organised by Cirencester Beekeepers, I have so much renewed enthusiasm and new ideas for my art!!

I found the day so interesting and, for the first time ever, I was able to see, with ease, what I always struggle to see with my own eyes when I am painting.

The clarity and detail that my microscope picks up is amazing and I cant wait to use my new found equipment on my one-day insect painting courses at WWT Slimbridge. It will also be fab to use with the children on their activities' too. For more info of my Slimbridge work as Artist in Residence this Summer, click here http://www.cathhodsmanwildlifeartist.com/recent-exhibitions/

These is one image that I took with my normal camera.....still have to buy the special camera attachment that allows you to take much clearer images and keep them for prosperity, but this still gives an idea of the excellent detail and magnification so far..... This is a honey bee head. You can see one of the secondary eyes on the right hand side of the shot. Its antennae are in the centre.  To the left of the shot is the start of the bee's proboscis....it's a lovely honey- yellow colour!!

Honey Bee - Apis mellifera head through a microscope.




"Colour Wheel" painting just finished....

Phew!!!.......that was a slog. Have just finished my latest painting. Mainly watercolour, but with a bit of pencil and some loveley pearlescent liquid acrylic.

Set myself the challenge of seeing if I could make up a painting of insects from Britain, from every colour of the spectrum....I wanted to illustrate how colourful insects can be....literally every colour of the rainbow!

I trawled lots of different sources...my own specimens, my own photos, taken on my travels and also the occasional visit to a museum to look at their Victorian entomological collections....I also had help from one natural-hisory website, for one of the butterfly images.- thanks Roy and Marie!

The finished result is quite busy...but that is what I want. I want it to look like the insects are exploding off the page....like a "Catherine Wheel" firework.

The insects are arranged in a circular pattern and split into slices of "pie". Each piece of "pie" is dedicated to a different colour of the spectrum and features 4 insects......This is how the "blue" and "green" sections were built up....





....and this is the finished result......

 

 

The painting took ages to finish, because of the research and the number of insects.  When it is mounted and framed, I am hoping it will have a strong impact on the viewer....who will hopefully look at insects with a more appreciative eye......

 

Going to enter this one and a couple of others into the National Exhibiiton for Wildlife Art in the Summer ....so fingers crossed, as it will be my first attempt at entry...

http://www.newa-uk.com/pages/home.php

A fab week as Artist in Residence at Nature in Art

 I had such a wonderful time as Artist in Residence at Nature in Art.

The studio is so light and so airy, with plenty of room to hang work and showcase other things, such as prints and greetings cards.....

I had such wonderful chats to lovely like-minded people, about wildlife, insects, conservation, art, photography...even the war!!

It is like one big family there. The Nature in Art team are so friendly and accommodating......I did think about staging a sit-in and refusing to leave!!

I met people of all ages. So lovely and refreshing to see that there are still so many people who genuinely care about, and are interested in, our natural world.......
In fact, I did so much chatting that I didn't get much painting done on my "Spectrum" project. This is it so far.......Pleased with how things are going on it and am hoping it should look effective when it is finished.....

Am already looking forward to my next AiR at Nature in Art. In the interim, will be working on an insect painting course that I hope to run there also. There was so much enthusiasm from people that I look forward spending more time with entomological/painting fans. Will keep you posted vis-a-vis dates.

For more information about this wonderful venue in Glos, click on this link.  http://www.nature-in-art.org.uk/

Artist in Residence at Nature in Art - 29th Jan - 4th Feb 2013

I am really looking forward to my AiR at the world famous Nature in Art  http://www.nature-in-art.org.uk/             

 

Nature in Art is the only place in the world that pays homage to wildlife and associated issues and nothing else, through the medium of art. It attracts artists from all over the world who have become experts and icons in wildlife conservation. People like Gary Hodges  http://www.garyhodges-wildlife-art.com/ , who does a huge amount to help the plight of wildlife, particularly African big cats.

 

I will be there from 29th Jan - 4th Feb 2013.

 

I have started a painting called "Spectrum". It will be arranged like a colour wheel and will illustrate the rich diversity in insect colour. Entomology is my special passion and I am driven to draw attention to the beauty that is all around us in the insect world, but is so often,  ignored or reviled. Hopefully by the end of my residency, it will be finished, ready for sale. I will also have a selection of my originals paintings, prints and greetings cards for sale. Please come along, I would love to see you......I don't bite!!

........Difficult to envisage it so far, but it's all in my head, and should look effective when finished.

 

Each photographic reference is one I have captured myself. Where I do have gaps in my records, I have a couple of wonderful friends, Roy and Marie, who will "lend" me images, if I am stuck. These fab people are wildlife experts in their own right and are totally dedicated to promoting the beauty of the natural world.

 

"Why are Insects Fab?" event 30th March & two week Art Exhibition 22nd March - 8th April 2013 at Cornium Museum, Cirencester

I am busy reviewing the dates I have booked for this year. Lots to look forward to....the Amateur Entomologists' Members' Day and AGM at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery http://www.amentsoc.org/events/listings/0619/, as well as my Artist in Residence positions at Nature in Art http://www.cathhodsmanwildlifeartist.com/2012/12/artist-in-residence-at-nature-in-art-glos/ and Slimbridge Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/slimbridge/..... and so much more this year.

One of the events I am most looking forward to is my annual involvement with the Help a Hedgehog Hospital Charity  http://www.helpahedgehog.org/  These are a fab group of people who work tirelessley to support the well being/care/conservation/education of and about hedgehogs. Since the 1930's, hog numbers have declined by 95%. Without groups like HaHH, hogs would  now be facing potential extinction.

"Hugo" a print I did for HaHH to help raise funds 

Every year the HaHH hold an event at The Corinium Museum, http://www.cotswold.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=2457&tt=cotswold&eventStatus=list&eventAction=view&eventId=16244 to educate and excite children about hedgehogs.This year is slightly different. There will still be the usual craft/hog events, but I will aso be joining them on March 30th to run sessions called   "Why are Insects Fab? I will be teaching children how to appreciate insects in all of their colourful/diverse/fascinating glory. There will be exotic specimens to see and drawings/paintings to be done.



The event comes in the middle of my own two week art exhibition http://www.culture24.org.uk/sw000029?id=EVENT416236  at the Corinium Museum in "The Hare" Gallery. This runs from 22nd March - 8th April 2013. Samples of all of my work will be on show and a % of sales proceeds will go to the Museum and the HaHH charity. Last year, my best selling image was my hare. I have another Hare print for this year....let's hope it's as well received...

"Brown Hare#2" - detail. On sale at the exhibition





I am joining The Wildlife Art Company

I am very pleased to announce that I have been invited to join The Wildlife Art Company One of the 

world's most prestigious natural-history angencies http://www.wildlifeartcompany.com/wildlife_illustrations.php 





The Wildlife Art Company is a natural history network agency created to meet the high demand for top quality illustrations from the natural world. It was set up by Mark Carwardine - BBC zoologist and Rachel Ashton, a natural history editor. Together they have years of experience in the wildlife publishing industry.

 

The artists on their books are amongst the best and the most scientifically accurate illustrations in the  world at their art.

 

The website covers a huge variety of species of plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles birds and  mammals. They also represent the artwork from the Collins field guides and The Natural History Museum, (London) Collection.

 

I am now in the process of registering a selection of images to appear on the website. I have chosen 15, mainly from my favourite animals - the insects!! See more details of my Insect studies on my Insect Gallery on my Website  I am really looking forward to seeing my name up there with the other artists. Cant wait to get started on any challenging insect commissions that may come my way too.

  

This is my watercolour painting of a female Southern Hawker. She landed on vegetation in my wildlife garden and my husband and myself were lucky enough to get some great shots as she sunned herself.......I love Southern Hawkers. They are amongst the UK's most inquisitive dragonflies. They will often fly close and "buzz" you to check you out......great stuff!!

 

I will keep you posted as to when my entry has been published......In the meantime, if you have any questions, queries about my art or conservation work, please email me on cathhodsman@talktalk.net





My latest project - Saving Scottish Wildcats;

There are only 35 true Scottish wildcats left in the wild. A group of dedicated individulas have set themselves the enormous task of raising money to set up a 7000 sq mile reserve on the West Highlands of Scotland to keep the last individuals safe. Safe from interbreeding from domestic cats, to keep the blood-line pure.


More details about this project can be found here.... http://www.phillarsen.plus.com/wildcat/Wildcat_Gallery/The_Artists.html

A wildlife artist called Phil Larsen has organised 40 artists, who have each drawn, sketched, painted or sculpted their version of a Scottish wildcat. The intention is to publicise the on-line gallery intensely to raise funds for this great cause.

This is my contribution to the project. I prefer working with graphite for my mammalian work.....I wanted him to look really intense - to capture the power of these wonderful animals....



To purchase this image, and help theis very British and worthy cause, either visit the on-line gallery or visit The Mammalian Gallery on my website.
 http://www.cathhodsmanwildlifeartist.com/gallery-4-mammals/

Cath Hodsman - Wildlife Artist

These are some examples of my work: