Birds in Art: The Masters

Dust jacket notes: "This handsomely illustrated book presents the work of the finest living practitioners of the graceful and appealing art of painting and sculpting birds. Since 1976 the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum has been holding an annual exhibit of contemporary art devoted to birds. The endeavor has met with universal praise. It has served to raise the standards of wildlife art while leading to its acceptance by a widening public. Birds in Art: The Masters celebrates the artistic vision of the fourteen artists who have received the Master Wildlife Artist award. They are the very best in their field. They include Roger Tory Peterson, J. Fenwick Lansdowne, and Robert Bateman. The first artist to receive this award, Owen Gromme, eloquently describes the unique attraction of birds for the artist. 'Since he first scrawled primitive drawings on cave walls, man has shown his interest in birds by artistically depicting their freedom of flight. Artists have captured the sheer beauty of birds on stone, metal, canvas, paper, cloth, or in any medium which would receive their impressions. 'In modern times, bird art has come into its own due to the value we place on avian life to the well-being of our environment.' This work acknowledges and celebrates an art that looks to nature for its inspiration and in so doing helps preserve its beauty for future generations."