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."

Just completed another Countryfile magazine commission for their July 2014 edition.

 

I am lucky to be asked to write and paint for several publications, including Countryfile Magazine. This is my latest effort. Countryfile asked me to write a wildflower painting tutorial for their July 2014 edition. Here is my finished watercolour study of a Ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi, “Jenny) and a Seven Spot Ladybird, (Cocinella septempunctata) Look out for it in your nearest Newsagents………

For purchase information, click here. http://www.cathhodsmanwildlifeartist.com/?p=2849&preview=true

The world of Microscopy

Cant wait!! Have just signed up to go on a Microscopy Course, run by Cirencester Bee Keepers Assoc
http://www.cirencesterbeekeepers.org.uk/

As my style of art work concentrates on macro, this is going to be perfect for me. Since starting a beginners' beekeping course in February, I know so much more about bees, but that leaves me still hungry for more....So much so, in fact, that my husband is getting me a microscope for my birthday!!

Bees are such intelligent, organised, strong and beautiful creatures, that it will be great to see them in more spectacular detail. These are the type of images I am hoping to see.....

 

All images taken from the internet

 

 

This extra knowledge and understanding of, not just bees, but all insects, that I will gain from using microscopy in my work, will hopefully improve the accuracy of my painting.  

 

"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/

 

 







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/

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





Cath Hodsman - Wildlife Artist

These are some examples of my work: