This gallery is devoted to 're-imagined' works of art from John James Audubon's famous 'The Birds of America'. The Robert Havell Jr. 'Double Elephant Folio' aquatints are in the public domain. I've used these elements of design which include not only the birds painted by John James, but flowers and botanical specimens painted by Joseph Mason and Maria Martin; landscape vistas painted by George Lehman. Because many of the Havell Plates were haphazardly colored by a group of 30 young women at the Havell studio, much detail of the aquatint has been obliterated. I've studied the source paintings and read JJA's own words from his 'Ornithological Biography' and other journals and notes for clues to his artistic intent and 'scientific' accuracy. My 're-imagined' compositions only start with a color 'restoration'. I've combined elements from multiple plates and rearranged the birds in some cases to 'fit' into certain dimensions. I'm taking a fresh new look at some of the little birds that have often gone unnoticed. Much of Audubon's birds- the lesser known work has not been seen upclose. When observing the paintings at the NY Historical Society you can't really get a 'good' look. The lighting is dim and some of the works are displayed above eye-level. (I bring my close-focus butterfly observation binoculars to view them!) Some of the work here is a 'gentle' restoration that retains the 'antiquity' of the work. And some involves 'bold' views of the subject matter.
Please visit my cyber gallery for artist-made fine art prints and art card orders:
www.blackrosegallery.com
e-mail rongorongo@aol.com or blackrosegallery@aol.com
Theme packs of giclee notecards are available at Amazon under the seller name 'birds, bugs and blooms' for 10.00 per six pack.
Patri Feher joined Fine Art America on September 20th, 2008.
