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Terry IsaacTerry Allen Isaac   AFC, SAA Terry Isaac
Birds and mammals of North America.
 
Internationally acclaimed wildlife artist, Terry Isaac, grew up in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, and it is there that he began his love affair with wildlife. Drawing inspiration from his own backyard and from the captivating vistas of the Northwest, he began to create dramatic wildlife art. He now calls Penticton, British Columbia, Canada “home” and, since moving, has continued to create paintings capturing unique characteristics of wildlife and their habitat. Terry travels around the world to capture exciting images, but his main painting focus continues to be on North American birds and mammals.

Terry’s formal art began with an interest in animation and drawing cartoons. After art college, he was interested in children’s book illustration but soon re-discovered his childhood passion for wildlife. Since the mid 1980’s, he has created realistic wildlife art with a focus on particularity and dramatic light. He is inspired by large panoramas as well as close-up views, and by subjects ranging from whales to hummingbirds.

During his successful professional career Terry has been the featured “Artist of the Year” at a number of prestigious art shows/expos, placed in 12 stamp and print competitions, been commissioned to create for the Audubon Society handbooks and hired to develop the main character in a Walt Disney production. His works are housed in prominent permanent collections such as Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Bennington Center For The Arts, American Airlines, First National Bank of South Africa and in many private and corporate collections around the world. His paintings have appeared for sale and re-sale at Christies Auction House, London, England.

Isaac continues to participate in several important art competitions, including Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum’s prestigious “Birds in Art” exhibition, in which his art will have been featured 14 times and the Society of Animal Artists annual exhibition. He is invited to participate in a number of prominent gallery art shows on an annual basis.

Terry is an accomplished teacher, and his approach to painting is outlined in his own book “Painting the Drama of Wildlife, Step by Step” now in its second edition (North Light Books, 1998). The book’s success led to the creation of a DVD, “Painting Wildlife in Acrylic” (Creative Catalyst, 2005). Terry’s art has also been featured in several other books, “Painting Birds Step by Step” (cover/North Light Books, 1996), “The Best of Wildlife Art” (cover/North Light Books, 1997), and “More Wildlife Painting Techniques of Modern Masters” (Watson-Guptill Publications, 1996). Terry continues to teach annual workshops, with students attending from all over the world.

Demand for Terry’s originals has remained high, partly due to the fact that his technique of painting and the detail he captures means that he paints relatively few paintings per year. Terry’s work was published by Mill Pond Press for almost 20 years, and many of his limited edition prints are sold out. Terry is now a self-published artist, who strives to create works of art for the discerning collector and only prints a select number of his paintings with very small edition sizes.

"I have been on a journey with my art since I can remember. As a youngster, exploring the world in my backyard was a daily adventure, always finding a new treasure to look over and study. I have never lost the intrigue of daily exploration and discovery. I look for the special, transitory and magical moments in nature that appear with the right lighting, color and atmospheric conditions. Magnificence can be found in large, dramatic landscape or a smaller and less majestic scene such as a moss covered rock.

I began with an interest in animation, drawing cartoons and developing my own characters. I then studied surrealism with great interest.

After college, I was interested in children`s book illustration and discovered my passion for wildlife art in the mid 1980`s. I have been creating wildlife art ever since.

I draw my inspiration from observing nature, always on the look out for “magical moments”. Usually seeing a particular setting is what initially inspires me. I then consider which bird or mammal will go well with that scene. I like to capture particularity, avoid stylizing, and expose the uniqueness that every thing in nature possesses. I edit and manipulate the composition until I am satisfied, use abstract shapes and create a painting that has a sense of depth. I work background to foreground – general to specific, striving to create something that is captivating and pleasing to look at.

I usually paint in my studio during th e day, every day of the week. There are times when my painting is not flowing right and I get uncomfortable and feel uncertain. Mostly, I feel the magic of watching my work develop into something that looks like the real world. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to do something I have such a passion and love for.

When it is my time to leave this world, I wish to do so knowing that I have left paintings that inspire others to appreciate the true wonder and beauty of the natural world.

I currently live in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada with my family."

 
Special Achievements:
  • Major Awards/Recognition
    2011 International Portfolio Artist, Ducks Unlimited Canada.

    2009 Special Guest Artist and Juror. Art of the Animal Kingdom XIV.

    Bennington Center For the Arts, Bennington, Vermont.

    2009 Special Guest Artist and Juror. Nebraska Arts Council. Kearney, Nebraska.

    2009 Top 40 Award. Small Works. The Greenwich Workshop, Seymour, Connecticut.

    2008 Jurors Award. Century of Sanctuary, St. George Art Museum, St. George, Utah.

    2003 Artist of the Year. Reflections of Nature. Art and Cultural Center, Fallbrook, California.

    1998 Artist of the Year. Pacific Rim Wildlife Art Show. Seattle, Washington.

    1997 Spotlight Guest Artist. Florida Wildlife Exposition. Orlando, Florida.

    1996 Special Guest Artist. Wildlife Art Festival. National Zoo, Washington, DC.

    1995 Featured Artist. Originals in Miniature. Stevens Gallery, Corvallis, Oregon.

    1995 Master Palette/Peoples Choice Award. Masterworks in Miniature,

    Gallery One, Mentor, Ohio.

    1995 Featured Artist. Wings Over The Platte. Stuhr Musuem of the Prairie Pioneers,

    Grand Island, Nebraska.

    1992 Featured Artist. Pacific Rim Wildlife Art Show. Tacoma, Washington.

    1991 Winning Artist. New York Duck Stamp

    1990 Artist of the Year. Original Art Showcase. Prestige Gallery, Mississauga, Canada.

    1989 Featured Artist. Pacific Rim Wildlife Art Show. Tacoma, Washington.
     
Publications:
  • Painting the Drama of Wildlife Step by Step (1998)
    All works within this book are created by Terry Isaac. - Filled with beautiful reproductions of Terry Isaac's outstanding paintings, Painting the Drama of Wildlife Step by Step offers a wealth of insight, learned through years of experience:
    -practical advice on research and fieldwork
    -tips on pulling together reference materials
    -composition do's and don'ts
    -suggested equipment and supplies
    -how to paint a variety of nature's textures - including fur, feathers, eyes, leaves, grass, clouds, water, rocks and snow
    You'll learn all-important secrets to achieving drama in your paintings, including how to create depth, capture unique lighting effects, and integrate the subject with the scene. Four in-depth painting demonstrations show you how to pull everything together into striking wildlife paintings!
    Author: Terry Isaac
    Published by: North Light Books
     

 

 
 
Direct Correspondence to:Terry Isaac
 
Terry Isaac
c/o Ghost Bear Enterprises Inc.
475 Upper Bench Road.
Penticton, BC
Canada  V2A 8T4
Tel: 250.492.6590
  Artists for Conservation Group
Email: terryisaac@telus.net
Home Page: http://www.terryisaacsart.com
Terry Isaac Terry Isaac

 
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This site is part of the Artists for Conservation (AFC) Web site. (Wildlife Art - Nature Art - Conservation) Artists for Conservation is an international, non-profit organization dedicated to nature art, wildlife art and conservation. On this site you will find world-class nature art and wildlife art by today's leading nature artists & wildlife artists. The AFC site is the Web's premier location for nature art, wildlife artists All content appearing in pages featuring Terry Isaac is the sole responsibility of Terry Isaac. The opinions expressed on these artists' pages are those of Terry Isaac and do not necessarily reflect those of the Artists for Conservation Foundationi (AFC).