A gallery dealer of mine and I were chatting once about a certain well-known wildlife artist, and the dealer said “I’ve heard all the stories about this artist copying others…but how can you wildlife artists keep coming up with original ideas?”
My answer to that: time in the field. There is nothing like going to the source - the animals themselves - for fresh inspiration, new light, seasonal stimulation, whatever. Whether your fieldwork is a zoo, a pasture, a park or preserve, or your own backyard - time with the animals will renew you artistically.
This morning I made one of my favorite field trips: driving the full Red Sleep Mountain loop at the National Bison Range, about 55 miles from my house. The road is 20 miles long and usually takes me at least 3 or 4 hours, depending on the wildlife. Today, the bison were in the high pasture and nowhere near the road (you’re not allowed to hike off road), but fortunately pronghorn were scattered all over the north side.
I also had the delightful experience of seeing, and even photographing (sorta) my first wild badger - I saw something small running through the prairie and my first thought was “cat”. Then I thought “what the aitch ee double hockeysticks would a kittycat be doing in the National Bison Range??” When I caught up to the critter my second thought was “raccoon”, but it was too low and lacked a tail. I lucked out and caught just a couple shots before the badger went to ground. Coolness! And, as always, joyous to be out soaking up Gorgeous Wildlife Energy.
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August 27th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
I really enjoyed my couple of days there a few years ago after going to your workshop. Bison, pronghorn, mule deer, white tail deer, elk and meadowlarks. No badgers, though. I also got some spectacular sunset on the mountains pics that I’ve never gotten around to painting. Definitely one of those “best kept secret” kind of places.
August 27th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Hmm…This is a lot different from a projector. Still, how would anybody know? Dont get me wrong, I’m not condoning the practice, but unless you were copying someone really well known and your collectors were well acquainted with wildlife art, it seems like that would be a hard thing to notice.
There’s a painter in Columbia or Brazil, maybe Peru, who copies Jeff Legge’s work and sells it as his own. Even over the internet, you can see that the quality is hugely lacking, but considering the locale, who would know?
How many times has the Mona Lisa been copied and resold? or The Lone Wolf? End of the Trail? I realize that nobody sells these copies as originals, but some folks have made a good living re-painting popular pieces.
BTW- The polar bear was a no-go. Just couldnt get the right curl of the lip around the bottle.
August 28th, 2009 at 6:05 am
I’ll be spending about 10 days camping and painting in Yellowstone and Teton Parks next month. That should generate one or two ideas. HA! I don’t get to spend near as much time in the west as I’d like, so I’ll be making the most of this trip.
August 28th, 2009 at 9:06 am
I understand that you don’t condone the practice, Don, but, to throw in my two cents, I guess copying other artist’s work doesn’t matter if you have the ethical standards of a Bernie Madoff. Just because an artist can’t control what happens to her/his work after it’s on the internet or sue the s— out of someone who rips them off, whether it’s the Mona Lisa or a marnot, doesn’t change that fact. But it’s their karma. What goes around, comes around. Nor will the people who do it go away any time soon.
The Chinese have a whole city devoted to the creation of art and a lot of the images are stolen from the work of living artists. The SAA looked into what could be done about it a couple of years ago because some of our members were the ones being copied, but, not surprisingly, there wasn’t any way to stop it. But don’t get me started on China.
As to who will know, with teh googles, the copiers can never be sure they won’t be found out. Just like people who run wildlife art show scams. Jeff Legge should put the guy on notice that he knows what’s going on at least, since legal action probably isn’t an option.
We haven’t met, Jim, but I hope you have a great time! FWIW, if you can find an empty campsite (it was full of wolf and grizzly groupies when I was there), Slough Creek, just outside the Lamar Valley, seems to be a good place to see grizzly bears. I found Tower to be a good central location for the east side of the park. A black bear named Rosie seems to be a regular around there and I’ve seen bighorns right on the road going back towards Mammoth in the morning. I’ve seen wolves (one a black) at Gibbon Meadow and the Hayden Valley, besides the Lamar Valley. I haven’t been there for two (sniff) years, so others may have more recent info.
August 28th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Jim, if you’re going to be in Teton/Y’stone around mid-September, be sure to check out the Fall Arts Festival in Jackson Hole. (Or maybe you already knew about that!). I’ll be doing the Quickdraw once again, on Sat 9/19.
Don, sorry about the polar bear. Probably for the best :-). The artist in question (in the original post) was copying Rungius and Kuhn….FWIW. I mean, nothing wrong with copying a painting to learn how another artist ‘did it’, but ethically (and legally) it shouldn’t be passed off as one’s own original work then.
Susan, I’m sorry to say I’m in the same camp - haven’t been to Y’stone recently enough, even though it’s just a 4-hour drive away (hate dealing with the tourists). But the Bison Range is my own little mini-Yellowstone practically in my backyard, with all the same wildlife except wolves and grizzlies…and it is a rather well-kept secret.
August 29th, 2009 at 4:42 am
Susan… Thanks for the Yellowstone tips. I’m really looking foreward to perhaps a bighorn encounter or two.
Julie… So far, that’s the plan. I’m hoping to be in Jackson Hole for the Quickdraw and maybe a little networking. I’m sure I’ll be looking a little scary after camping all week. Don’t run away if you smell me coming. HA!
What an adventure!
August 29th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Nice photos…and I am sooo jealous of the badger- I have never seen one in the wild, and I would have been very excited to see it- and how nice it posed for you! I also grrew to love pronghorns, from my first sighting of them (from the highway) in Idaho to the ones that I photographed in YS…but wiht my Olympus D-580 4.0 megapixal, the photos arn’t too close, of course. As soon as I can I will have to start looking for a more professional camera (like I have discussed with you and others).
Jim, YS and GT are fantastic in September…I have been to both only in Sept and Oct and the crowdes are much lighter…aspens and cottonwoods turn…elk bugle everywhere….I agree with Susan on camping in Slough Creek…the Slough Creek pack can often be seen (and heard) nearby…I saw them 3 years ago-9 strong, grey and black-on a hill just sw of the campground for 1 1/2 hours. Enjoy- you will get wonderful reference photos! Look for moose in GT!
August 31st, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Yellowstone is awesome this time of year.
I did a back-packing trip in the northeast corner (up out of the park, starting in the Lamar valley past Abiathar peak and Ampitheater Mountain) at the end of September once long ago (early 80’s) and actually got snowed on.
Saw several moose and lots of elk, but no bear. Not a single soul on the trail. (pretty typical for Yellowstone back country though, at least back then)
I had been dropped off and had to hitchhike back to Salt lake across Montana cuz all the passes were closed in Yellowstone.
That was quite an experience in itself!
I’m jealous of anyone who lives only 4 hours from Yellowstone.
I think i’d be there every weekend (in the backcountry, of course)
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:13 am
Hmm, wonder why.
Maybe Al Gore knows.
…and as a very wise person [at least] once said “Best kept secrets are best kept secrets”.