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August Issue 2008
North Carolina Museum of Natural Science
in Raleigh, NC, Features Works by Doug Pratt Anne Faust
The avian world will be highlighted during the month of August at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences' Nature Art Gallery in Raleigh, NC. The works of Museum Research Curator of Birds and scientific illustrator Doug Pratt as well as scientist and artist Anne Faust, have evolved from opposite poles. Faust studied art and over time became interested in birds; Pratt studied zoology and then became interested in art and now their works intersect in the exhibit, The Science and Art of Birds and Their World. The exhibit runs from Aug. 1 - 31, 2008, and all exhibited art is for sale.
Faust first became acquainted with the silkscreen printmaking process while earning her Bachelors of Fine Arts from Boston University School of Art where she also studied painting. At the time she thought it was a fun way to make Christmas cards to send to friends and family. For many years the only printmaking she did was in producing these cards. Little did she know that after years of working, first as a technical artist and then as an art teacher, she would ultimately became a printmaker.
During her years of teaching Faust returned to school and earned a Masters in Art Education from the University of Hartford, where she expanded her printmaking skills. It was also during her teaching career that she became interested in birding. After that she began making larger, more complicated prints and noticed birds creeping into her work. In 1979, she left teaching and moved to Louisiana. That is when Faust began working exclusively in silk screen and birds became the focus of her work.
Silkscreen is a slow, methodical process whereby colors are added one at a time until the process is complete. All of her serigraphs are hand pulled in limited editions of 20 or less and are signed and numbered. Her style is realistic, using natural colors.
Doug Pratt is an ornithologist for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. He earned a PhD in zoology from Louisiana State University and was a researcher for 25 years at the Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science. His research primarily focuses on systematics and biogeography of island birds of the Pacific and has authored and illustrated numerous books, journals and field guides including, A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific and a Pocket Guide to Hawaii's Birds, Hawaii: The Traveler's Wildlife Guide.
Pratt has no formal art training and says his interest evolved from a hobby that got out of hand. In all he has illustrated or co-illustrated 10 full-length books and contributed to numerous others. His paintings have appeared in numerous periodicals including National Geographic, Audubon and National Wildlife. When not studying and painting birds, Pratt amuses himself and others playing auto harp and dobro with local country/folk bands.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences documents and interprets natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications and educational programming.
For further information check our NC Institutional
Gallery listings, call 919-733-7350, ext. 379 or visit (www.naturalsciences.org).
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