 |
The inspiration for this painting came from the early successes in re-populating the West Coast with the bald eagle, our national symbol that had landed on the endangered species list in 1967. Loss of habitat, hunting and the suspected effects of the insecticide DDT on eagle fertility contributed to their steep decline throughout the 19th century. In 2007, the Interior Department took the eagle off the Endangered Species list but the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act continues to make it illegal to take, sell, trade or collect eagles or eagle parts.
“It’s one of my favorite subjects to paint,” says Rod Frederick. “I see them all the time in the Cascades.” Over two thirds of the world’s bald eagle population has “come home” to breed and thrive in Alaska and British Columbia, largely because of the undeveloped land and the salmon fisheries.
|
|
|
The serene outdoors seem at odds with the wild and crazy character of this
artist, who is as famous for his paintings as he is for his sense of humor and
gaudy shirts! If seen on his constant excursions into the wilds, many a
collector would tell of an eccentric pirate come to life, only this
swashbuckling, seemingly fearless explorer was more anxious to gain and share
the treasure of knowledge rather than riches.
"I grew up in a house full of pets," he says. "My mom had a degree in fine
arts
and although my dad was a lawyer, he was a weekend painter." So his love of
animals and art was sown early (also inspired when he received a gift of Roger
Tory Peterson’s Field Guide to the Birds) and he attended Willamette
University
with a major in art and a minor in biology. "So I could know my subjects
outside and in," he says. He put that education to good use as he embarked on
a
fine art career that would allow him to do what he enjoyed most; explore and
learn.
Frederick built his house in the middle of the Oregon wilderness and filled it
with birds and animals. He’s hiked and camped in mountains and forests
throughout the northwest U.S., Central America and East Africa. He knows the
lakes and mountains as well as he knows the plains and deserts, not to mention
almost all the creatures who live there, from the smallest bird to the largest
elephant. And he will paint them on whatever size canvas suits them best. In
addition to his peaceful views of animals in their natural habitats, he is
also
known for his paintings’ many different sizes and shapes—each chosen to best
suit his perfectly balanced images of wildlife and wilderness.
|
|
