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."

Art Courses for 2014

Me and lovely participants at a course I ran this Summer at Stratford Museum in the Park.


I am now well ahead of organising painting and sketching courses for 2014......Lots of variety of subject and medium. They are all set in fab venues......... from wetlands to beautiful historic gardens. If there is anything that you like the look of, please get in touch or give me a ring to have a chat. 

7th February 2014  -  9.00 a.m – 1.00 p.m - ” A Microscopy Taster Session…..” - A unique chance to see into the secret world of Lepidoptera and other Invertebrates. A joint venture between Butterfly Conservation and Cath. 50% of all course proceeds will be donated to Butterfly Conservation.

28th March 2014 - Centre for Science and Art, Stroud. "A Fascinating Insight into the Secret World of Bees" This microscopy sketching course is run by Cath, in association with The Society of Biology. It also pays homage to bees, but has a much more scientific approach. Students will be dissecting and preparing their own  bee specimens for sketching purposes. Learn more.....Society of Biology/Cath Hodsman Bee Sketching and Dissection Microscopy Course .......and for those who this is relevant to, this course is also worth 18 CPD points


25th April 2014 - "How to Paint a Butterfly" - WWT Slimbridge This water colour painting day is a unique and absorbing course aimed at both lovers of painting and of entomology, especially butterflies! You don't have to be an expert at either, but you need to be fascinated by both!

6th June 2014  - Painswick Rococo Gardens,   The course is called "Beautiful British Bees"  A painting and microscopy course. Click on the links for more information.

11th July 2014 - "How to paint Dragonflies" - WWT Slimbridge This water colour painting course will pay homage to one of the oldest and most mysterious insects - dragonflies and damselflies. Stunningly beautiful and awesome hunters, participants on this course will study this insect in all of its glorious detail and beauty, whilst producing an intricate and unique water colour painting. 

Friday 3rd October 2014. 9.00 - 4.00 -  "How to Paint Lepidoptera" A water colour painting day - A joint venture with Butterfly Conservation - 50% of all course proceeds to go to this great conservation group. This course is aimed at Lepidoptera experts who would like to learn how to pay homage to these wonderful insects through the medium of art.

A busy and enjoyable Summer at WWT, Slimbridge.

Phew, just over a month to go on my posting as Artist in Residence at WWT Slimbridge  http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/slimbridge/news/2013/04/wwt-slimbridge-news/our-new-artist-in-residence-will-create-a-real-buzz/

I have had so much fun. I have met some lovely people.......those who work at Slimbridge, and visit Slimbridge - everyone has been fab.

                                                      ART FINISHED AT SLIMBRIDGE

Despite my many, many animated chats about all things arty and insecty with those who have popped by to visit. I have still managed to get some work done.......Microscopy art is my new thing and I have finished 2 pieces at Slimbridge.......

The first one is a study of the female worker honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the second, a study of insect proboscises. Really chuffed because the honey bee study is going in the Autumn British Beekeepers Association Magazine, as part of a feature on bee anatomy.

I have also completed a painting of a White Tailed Bumble Bee with a Papaver Orientalis

So I have finished some pieces that I am really pleased with........What else have I got up to????......


                                          PAINTING COURSES AT SLIMBRIDGE

Still have one to go, but the July painting course, " Butterflies, Beetles and Bees" was such great fun. The students were all lovely. We all spent a very relaxing day sharing insect and art experiences and stories and just being a little bit self indulgent. This is the photo of those hard working folks at their easels....

......and "wow" did they do some amazing work!!! I think I need to be worried about their worthy competition. Have a look at some of these great paintings.....

Cant wait 'til the next course, "Painting Pollinators" on the 30th August at Slimbridge, but not before I do my "Why are Insects Fab?" arts and crafts sessions with children at Slimbridge on the 5,6,7 and and 27, 28, and 29th August. Children will have lots of fun making their own bugs. We will be looking at my exotic insect specimens and also using magnification equipment to produce some fab insecty creations.....cant wait!!

                      ARTS DAY AT MUSUEM IN THE PARK, STRATFORD PARK-
                                    "Incredible Insects and Butterflies and Bees"

For those who can't make the dates at Slimbridge, there is a chance to come along and enter the secret and fascinating world of insects at The Musuem in the Park at Stratford Park. On Sunday 25th August, I will be based at the lovely Musuem in the Park. The morning will be dedicated to the children and kiddy insect art and the afternoon will be dedicated to adults and to producing something a little bit more scientific........   http://www.museuminthepark.org.uk/timetable.asp?qmonth=8&pid=24&pgid=527&menu=0 .......look forward to seeing you there!!....... 

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

I have joined the "Wildlife Art Company"!!

I am over the moon!!..... I have just joined, what I consider to be the mecca for my type of artwork......the Wildlife Art Company!!  http://www.wildlifeartcompany.com/cath_hodsman.php

 

 

Mark Cawardine, BBC Zoologist, the agency's founder identified an increasing demand for top quality wildlife and natural-history illustrations that were scientifically accurate, as well as beautiful, for organisations like Collins Field Guides, Natural History Museums, and so on. The Wildlife Art Company seeks to meet this demand.

 

The agency showcases work from 60 or so, wildlife artists from across the world. The work is incredibly diverse. You can view beautiful illustrations.............anything from fish to fossils...

 

 

 

When completed, I will have 15 images with WAC and I can't wait to see what challenges, being part of this fab group of international artists will bring. This is one of the images from my selection.....one of my favourite paintings and best sellers, "Beautiful British Bees"   http://www.cathhodsmanwildlifeartist.com/2012/12/british-bee-paintings/

 

 







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