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for further information visit www.garyhodges-wildlife-art.com
THE CIRCLE OF LIFE
Gary Hodges is the UK’s best selling and most collectable pencil artist. He has sold over 110,000 personally signed and numbered prints from 132 editions. 119 of these editions have sold out. The fact he is both a self-published and a self-taught artist makes it all the more impressive.
The huge demand for Gary’s prints has led to a lucrative secondary market rewarding collectors with more than just the beauty of his drawings. Greenpeace published his first print in 1987. The 850 edition cost £8.50 ($13.15) each and sold out within weeks. In recent years that print Green Turtle has changed hands for up to £3,500 ($5425) … an investment increase of more than 400 times! Many other editions continue to realise fantastic secondary market prices.
His enthusiastic collectors have supported him throughout his career. This popularity has enabled him to follow his heart and support charities dear to him and through his prints and drawings well over $850,000 has been given back to protect the wildlife he feels so passionate about.
Gary’s love for animals clearly shines through his drawings. It also shows in his everyday life, whether befriending a dog on the street, swimming with lemon sharks in the Maldives or green turtles on the Great Barrier Reef, touching a wild grey whale in Mexico, cradling an orphaned orang-utan in Borneo … or simply observing, absorbing and photographing the beauty he sees.
His many accolades include the “Oscars” of the UK published art world, the “Best Selling Artist of the Year” and “Best Selling Images by a Living Artist” (two years in succession) from the Fine Art Trade Guild. Other winners of these awards include Jack Vettriano and David Shepherd.
In October 2010 a major six week retrospective of his art was staged by “Nature in Art”, the World’s first and Europe’s only museum dedicated to art inspired by the natural world. Gary is the first pencil artist to be awarded a solo show at this prestigious museum. A limited edition book “Drawn to the Soul” was published to coincide with this landmark event and is now almost sold out. A coffee table book is planned for late 2013.
A group exhibition titled “Wildlife Masters” took place at “Nature in Art” in August 2013. The four week show featured five artists, David Shepherd, Simon Combes, Anthony Gibbs, Geoffrey Dashwood and Gary. He undertook a four day artist in residency during the show, making a record total of 23 times as artist in residence at the museum.
His solo show Heart & Soul in central London was on from 19-23 April 2016 when he raised akmost $250,000 for two charities to help with their work for elephants and other wildlife.
2010 also presented Gary with an innovative new venture into 3D. He adorned a five foot fibreglass elephant with a collage of his prints for London’s biggest ever outdoor art event, the Elephant Parade. His sculpture, “Tattoo – Born to be Wild” was positioned with a small herd in Green Park marching towards Buckingham Palace. For nine weeks over the summer 260 beautiful elephant sculptures brightened up London. The subsequent auction raised $6,340,000 for elephant conservation. Gary created his elephant especially for Born Free and it sold for almost $20,000.
Many famous names collect his art. Martina Navratilova, Kristin Davis, Kiki Dee, Virginia McKenna, Supremes Mary Wilson and Scherrie Payne are just a few from an ever expanding list. Add to this many dedicated people working closely with wildlife in conservation groups; charities like the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), Animals Asia and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
Gary’s art has been exhibited and sold in capital cities around the world and hundreds of times throughout the United Kingdom, including the Natural History Museum, Harrods, the Royal Geographical Society, the Savoy, Christies and Sotheby’s auction houses.
His passion for wildlife and wild places has drawn him to five continents in search of references for his drawings. Recent visits to the Great Barrier Reef and the Maldives have opened his eyes to a new fascinating underwater world … a trip to see the unique creatures of the Galapagos Islands and Costa Rica in the Spring of 2013 really cemented that new passion. In October 2014 he made a welcome return to his favorite destination, Tarangire National park in Tanzania, home to the largest population of elephants per square kilometre in the world.
Gary has been drawing animals professionally since 1980. During that time he has sold well over 200 of his expressive pencil drawings. Now at a gentler pace, he continues to create his drawings, continues to donate his art to charities that protect our fragile planet and continues to travel to exotic places to see the wonderful creatures that fill him with the inspiration to draw… the circle of life.
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Support for Conservation:
Gary says “I can’t imagine making a living drawing wildlife and not giving something back. Rest assured by purchasing my prints you are also helping wildlife."
Since 1987 Gary’s art has contributed well over $1,000,000 to wildlife conservation and animal welfare charities.
In 2016 he staged a major solo charity show at the Mall Galleries, London to follow on from the wild success of his 1994 show. It was an extraordinary event with buyers travelling from all over the world to the private view. It raised almost $250,000 for elephants and other wildlife.
Special Achievements:
http://www.garyhodges-wildlife-art.com
Since 1987 Gary's art has raised well over $1,000,000 for wildlife conservation and animal welfare charities.
He has been a judge on the selection panel for the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation’s “Wildlife Artist of the Year” competition since its inception in 2008.
Past commissions include a commemorative drawing of the late George Adamson with his two favourite lions, Boy and Christian (1990), the L/E print raising over $22,000 for Born Free, and Bengal tigress and cub (1992) created especially for the ITV Telethon Trust. This print made over $31,000 for the charity. Two editions, Love and Protection (1992) and Friends (1995) raised over $100,000 for the EIA’s highly successful elephant campaign.
Although he no longer undertakes commissions, he made an exception in 2005 for the Born Free Foundation’s 21st anniversary. Gary’s expressive portrait of the world famous lioness Elsa has so far raised over $55,000 for the charity. He presented the original drawing to Virginia McKenna OBE in recognition of her lifelong dedication and compassion towards animals.
Three documentaries have been filmed about Gary and his art. Two were televised on the National Geographic and Discovery channels. “Drawn to Wildlife” and “Wild at Art” were produced by David Felber and presented by actress Rula Lenska in aid of charity and have to date raised over $31,000.
In October 2010 “Nature in Art” staged a 6 week major retrospective exhibition of 45 of Gary’s drawings spanning 23 years.
In August 2013 “Nature in Art” staged the show “Wildlife Masters”, a group exhibition of five artists; David Shepherd, Anthony Gibbs, Simon Combes, Geoffrey Dashwood and Gary Hodges.
In April 2016 his major charity exhibition Heart & Soul in central London raised almost $250,000 for elephants and other wildlife.
AWARDS:
Senior art award in 1967. High View High school.
Highly commended Wildlife Magazine Illustrator of the Year competition, Natural History Museum, London, 1983.
WWF Fine art award 1989 and 1990.
Highly commended BBC World Magazine Wildlife Artist of the Year, 1991.
Best Foreign Exhibit at the second International Festival of Animal Art, France 1993.
Shortlisted for the Fine Art Trade Guild’s Best selling published Artist Award 1996.
Fine Art Trade Guild’s Best Selling Published Artist Award, 1997, only awarded to an artist once in their lifetime. Other awardees include Beryl Cook, David Shepherd, Mackenzie Thorpe, Jack Vettriano and Rolf Harris.
Fine Art Trade Guild’s John Solomon Trophy 1996 and 1997 - "Best Selling Images by a Living Artist." Only other artists awarded twice are Jack Vettriano and David Shepherd.
Visitors Choice Award 2007, Society of Wildlife Artists.
Awarded membership of the highly respected Society of Wildlife Artists in 1990, which is 50 years old this year. He has served eight years on their decision-making council.
Collections:
His drawings are in the permanent collection of the Nature in Art Museum, Gloucester and the Government Art Collection, UK.
His original drawings and limited edition prints adorn the homes of many thousands of collectors in the UK and throughout the world, including sports champions Sally Gunnell and David Gower, TV presenters Nigel Marven, Michaela Strachan and Jilly Goolden, actor Martin Clunes and actresses Rula Lenska, Jenny Seagrove and Pam St Clement.
Publications:
- HEART & SOUL EXHIBITION BOOK (2016)
More about HEART & SOUL EXHIBITION BOOK
Author, co-designer, artist, photographer. - Signed / numbered soft cover book in an edition of 1,000 copies. 146 pages.
Author: Gary Hodges
Published by: Wild Press
- HEART & SOUL (2014)
Author, co-designer, artist, photographer. - Signed/numbered hardback book in an edition of 1000 copies. 272 pages.
Published by: Wild Press
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- 129 limited edition prints have been published from his pencil drawings. 119 of those were self published. The other 10 were published by Greenpeace, Zoo Check (Born Free) and Robin Des Bois
1994 “Gary Hodges Wildlife Drawings”. Limited edition book of 1,000 signed/numbered copies All sold out.
2010 “Drawn to the Soul” Gary Hodges. Limited edition book of 1,000 signed/numbered copies Sold out.
2012 Gary Hodges. Open edition postcard book with 22 drawings.
His art has appeared in many magazines and newspapers including BBC Wildlife magazine, Artists and Illustrated magazine, Wildscape magazine,
Attitude magazine (2014) and Country Life magazine (2014)
Organization Membership:
Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) member since 1990
Life member EIA
Life member Born Free
He also strongly supports…
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
Animals Asia
Wildlife Aid Foundation
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Orangutan Foundation
Nature in Art Trust
Care4Cats Ibiza
He has given financial support via his art to over 50 other charities
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