Wildlife Art Show a splash of color!

Gamini Ratnavira, a world-renowned wildlife artist, is the founding artist—along with Bob and Betty Ann Underwood—of Fallbrook’s Wildlife Art Show. Ratnavira’s vibrant works were on display at Fallbrook Art Center’s Janice Griffiths Gallery during the 15th exhibition on May 3 and 4. As stated in the show’s brochure, “The 2008 show is dedicated in the memory of Janice Griffiths in recognition of her love for and support of nature and wildlife art.”

Ratnavira, whose “Hidden Forest” gallery is located on an idyllic stretch of Live Oak Park Road in Fallbrook, is originally from Sri Lanka, and his eye for tropical colors and wildlife is astounding.

Along with Ratnavira, twenty-five other wildlife artists not only displayed their works, but were present to answer questions regarding their art.

Lee Kromschroeder from Escondido displayed a moving mountain lion acrylic painting, entitled “Desert Beauty,” which was one of the most outstanding pieces in the show. The animal was painted among a blooming field of cactus. The face was the most thought provoking part of the painting as Kromschroeder adeptly captured the untamed emotions of the lion.

This San Diego County native has been painting wildlife art since 1978; and although he paints a variety of animals, his favorite subject is the predator. Exotic cats, eagles, and orcas are a few of the subjects he captures on canvas.

“There is something in their eyes,” he commented, “they are more intelligent.” The artist also mentioned that he tries to capture the wild spirit in their eyes.

Linda Besse of Spokane, Washington captured the essence of a sea star in a rocky tidepool. She mentioned that “Star Light, Star Bright,” was painted “larger than life-size for more dramatic impact.”

Besse is adamant about matching the perfect frame to her works of art, “If you get the right frame for the piece, the piece will just sing…the right frame on the painting can really make a difference.” She continued, “If you have the same frame for every painting it doesn’t grab the excitement that you put into the original.”

Besse’s sea star painting sports a frame which resembles driftwood with a faint sandy surface. A painting of two orcas gliding through the sea is encompassed by a frame designed with swirls to represent waves and a silver hue to reflect the water.

Gary Johnson of Encinitas normally shows his work in Solana Beach’s Journeys West gallery. He has always enjoyed nature and his talent in art was developed at a young age, as well. The combination of his artistic talent and love for nature is reflected in realistic and powerful paintings.

Johnson travels to various countries, including Africa, where he has photographed animals in Kenya and Tanzania. He then paints from the photographs as well as from memory.

As far as American wildlife goes, he concentrates much of his efforts at Rocky Mountain National Park, where he was an artist in residence.

Truong Buu Giam is a native of Vietnam, but now makes his home locally in Westminster. He paints with an eye-catching mixed-media technique that he perfected himself.

This method entails painting with epoxy, resin and acrylic paints. He uses the epoxy as a background which gives the surface a resplendent sheen.

The artist paints “what he sees and what is in his mind.” The combination of his imagination and reality makes for colorful and striking images.

Adele Earnshaw, a sixth generation New Zealander who now lives in Sedona, Arizona, excels in plein air painting, but she mentioned that some are started in the field and then completed in the studio.

Her studio method is a combination of painting from a photograph and using her own imagination.

In a moving piece called “In the Wind” she applies this technique. The sheets were painted from a photograph, and the blue birds flying past the sheets were painted from imagination.