Bird Art & Artists

Feathered Inspiration

Fatbirder country and state pages also have a section for photographers and artists located in that state or country (in the UK this is at county level). So, please refer to those to find the vast majority of listings.

Anyone who is in the UK during late August should visit the British Bird Fair – apart from being able to rub shoulders with around 25,000 fellow birders and visit hundreds of stands for holiday companies, optics, conservation etc., the most ‘must visit’ area is the ‘art marquee’ where dozens of artists exhibit and sell their paintings, drawings, sculpture and photographs – the ‘Chelsea Flower Show’ of bird art! Moreover, each year you can see artists in action as they collective contribute bird images to an appropriate mural-sized canvas.

Like any other form of art, bird pictures come in a variety of styles and media. I may not know much about art, but, as they say, I know what I like. I love the super-realism images where fine detail even in backgrounds give images a surreal feel and are as accurate in their portraiture as a fieldguide illustration.

Other people prefer the impressionistic art that gives atmosphere and jizz, not just a virtual still life. You pay your money and make your choice and I’ll make mine. My walls are lined with inexpensive prints and originals – none will ever be worth a fortune, but they are all fine examples of beautiful birds beautifully portrayed, so I can live amongst birds even when it’s too dark and wet to go birding!

The painting featured top left, is by an artist who was BBC Wildlife ‘animals in their environment’ Artist of the Year in 2011 and runner up in both 2012 and 2013. I totally love his work… ‘Griff’ paints in oil, acrylic and water colour and, to my eye, has different styles that perfectly adopt and exploit the medium he uses.

I love the sketches that show such movement and character, but some of the oils and acrylics are perfect paintings that set the bird in its landscape wonderfully… moreover Ian Griffiths is a very nice chap. He works in a walk-in studio when he can and sometimes sketches by the sea or in the countryside with his son.

I’ve met many artists over the years and a few even painted something just for me to evoke a memory of a beautiful bird seen. I envy their skill and delight in the many styles and methods used. They celebrate birdlife in a timeless way, and urge all birders that can afford to do so, to support their efforts by buying their artworks.