Amy Graff - Wildlife Art


	*About Amy:* - Artist's Statement - Accomplishments - Awards
A R T I S T ' S S T A T E M E N T
Wisconsin's four seasons contribute to my continual inspiration through the heightened awareness of my five senses. In addition to observing breathtaking scenery and wildlife antics; the
breezes, tastes, fragrant smells, and bird & animal calls awaken my deep down need to capture nature's entire drama on canvas. Once an idea for a painting is born, I do my own field work; hiking, sketching and collecting natural references such as leaves, moss, branches and stones. These are brought back to my studio, where I do several thumbnail sketches before selecting the best composition for a painting. By combining, layering and glazing techniques with different brushstrokes, I create textures in my acrylic paintings that are very realistic. I combine warm and cool colors in a way that creates the painting's mood. Upon completion of a painting, my hope is that it will create an awareness of environmental conservation efforts in order to preserve the awesome beauty in our world. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction when one of my paintings reaches out to someone who needs it.
		Mostly self-taught, I have been drawing since I was very young. My mother encouraged my skills by giving me gifts of art supplies for every birthday and Christmas. My father taught me tracking skills in the woods of Wisconsin. At the age of nine I drew in a sketchbook constantly - Snoopys and horses! I enjoyed taking art throughout high school, and then several college courses. In 1997 after attending a Robert Bateman workshop
in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I had a sense of re-awakening. I was filled with renewed inspiration and confidence in my artistic abilities. My creative drive and passion has been much stronger since attending several additional wildlife workshops with master artists including John Seerey-Lester, Paco Young, Terry Isaac and Carl Brenders. Hundreds of new ideas for future paintings come to me constantly. I am continuously composing paintings in my mind when I am not at my drawing table.
A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S
Member; Portrait Society of America Richeson Gallery ’07 Juried Exhibits: “Daughter With A Pearl”, “Waiting For Claudia” Studio 210 Featured Artist, Neville Public Museum, January - April, 2006 Participated in the 2006 Miniature Fine Art Exhibit, Paint Box Gallery, Ephraim, WI Neville Public Museum 62nd Art Annual: "A Walk In The Rain" T-Rex and Nest permanent mural painted at the Neville Public Museum, March, 2005 Wildlife Biennial Miller Art Museum, Sturgeon Bay, Invitational Exhibit Artist Interview on "Outdoor Wisconsin" public and educational television, April of 2000 Featured Artist at Arti Gras 2000; NEW Arts Council "Artist-In-Residence" at Ducks Unlimited's "Dinner of Dinners"- Milwaukee Zoo '99 Illustrated "Woodland Animals" coloring book for the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary Neville Public Museum's 55th Art Annual "Midnight Watch" Great Gray Owl "Artist-In-Residence" at Ducks Unlimited's "An Evening In Flight" - EAA in Oshkosh '97 Smithsonian's "Artrain" Painting Demo inside train during it's Green Bay stop Green Bay Art Colony; President 1999 - 2000 Bay Area Watercolor Guild; President 1997 - 1999 NEW Zoological Society, Board of Directors, 1997 - 1999
A W A R D S
Spring Art Festival, '08, "Bringing up Baby", Third Place Professional Spring’s Wings ’07, “A Walk In The Rain”, Third Place Spring Art Festival, '06, "A Walk In The Rain", Honorable Mention Waupaca's 40th Annual Art Show '04 "Bison" Honorable Mention Art Spectacular '02, "Wolf in the Snow" Peoples Choice Award Spring Art Festival '01, "Golden Morning" Honorable Mention Professional Spring Art Festival '00, "Oak Ridge Red-tail" Honorable Mention Professional Wild Art '99 at the NEW Zoo, "Natures Fragile Gifts" Third Place Waupaca's 36th Annual Art Show, "Jessie's Robin" Honorable Mention Professional Conservation Service Award for outstanding contributions, Ducks Unlimited, 1999 Appreciation Award, Trout Unlimited, 2000 Waupaca's 35th Annual Art Show, "Trillium" Third Place Professional Spring Art Festival '98, "Wrangler" Third Place Professional