Press

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Six natural history illustrators have been chosen to participate in this year's COM.EN.ART (Community.Environment.Art) program, a joint venture between the New York State Museum and the Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve.

"Natural science illustrators don't often get grants at biological stations or arts colonies. The opportunity for the illustrator to be in the field is almost nil," said Patricia Kernan, the State Museum's staff scientific illustrator.

COM.EN.ART, begun in 1995, at the 1,800-acre not-for-profit biological research station in Rensselaerville, Albany County, gives scientific and natural history illustrators the opportunity to immerse themselves in a field situation either by working with scientists or gathering materials and conducting research for their own work.

"Early naturalists were most often their own artists," said Kernan, a co-founder and co-director of the COM.EN.ART. "As science became more formalized and institutionalized, biologists began to rely on artists to illustrate the results of their scientific research."

"Biologists recognize the specialized form of natural history art as an effective way to bring recognition of the importance of the environment and biological diversity both in our everyday lives and the long term health of the environment," State Museum Director Cliff Siegfried said.

The artists will be able to spend one to two weeks at the preserve where housing, studio space and local transportation will be provided. Artists participating in the program, begun in 1995, must donate one piece to the preserve. During their stay, anytime between May and September, the artists are asked to meet with members of the community to discuss their work as scientific and natural history artists. This could include demonstrations, outdoor workshops, school visits or evening lectures.

"They leave with a deeper knowledge of nature and a much deeper knowledge of themselves - essential for doing any kind of art work," Kernan said.

The State Museum plans to open a permanent exhibition space for natural history art this fall.

Artists Selected for COM.EN.ART 1999:

• Timothy Angell of Burdett, NY
• Linda Beckwith McCloskey of Red Hook, NY
• Camille Doucet of Etna, NY
• Margy O'Brien of Albuquerque, NM
• Sandra McDermott of Amesbury, MA
• Katherine Shelbourne of Durham, NC

*For slides, please call 518/474-0079.

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