Bird Art

Last May I blogged, "When I see Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, I am reminded of my favorite artist, Louis Agassiz Fuertes." One of his sketches of grosbeaks is just stunning.

One of my photographs from Florida last January also reminds me of Fuertes.  In this case, the long plumes on the head and neck on a Tricolored Heron reminds Fuertes' 1929 portrait of feathers on an Egyptian Vulture.  You may recall that I wrote that Fuertes was killed at a railroad crossing in 1927.  There are times when we birders should keep our attention away from birds! A biography and a collection of his paintings is to be found in A Celebration of Birds and in the following link to  Cornell University.

I think my favorite living bird artist is Lars Jonsson, whose work crosses that line between superb illustration and great art. He has published a collection of recently completed work. This book also discusses his technique. The book is worth perusing if you are interested in bird art.