ROSALIND HODGKINS:

My interest in natural science art began when I came into the country a few years ago. I had lived in NYC since graduating from college and had developed an art career primarily as an abstract painter. Being closer to nature here has affected me in an all encompassing way. The beauty and impermanence of nature was powerfully demonstrated to me as I began to examine the emmense and wonderous variety of the flora and fauna. I became fasinated with painting from life, being able to look at all sides of my subjects, watching the play of light and sometimes seeing the plant shift with the light changes. When I started to paint birds and insects, it was a struggle to find reference, because I wasn't about to sacrifice the animal to art, as Audubon had done.

The process of painting starts with visual reference from my photographs or from a book or from the internet. The intimate detail becomes a visual meditation for me and requires some study of the bird or insect anatomy in order to gain those extra nuances.

My landscapes were all painted out of doors, accept the winter scenes, which I photographed in and around Sullivan County, NY.

All of the Venice, Italy scenes were painted there on a recent trip to that wonderous place.

I try to paint each subject as a portrait and as a detailed representation of the species. The Great Blue Heron I wanted to place in a natural setting and I found a natural rookery in the Neversink Nature Conservancy where I photographed the background reference for this painting.