I painted Winter Caribou (11x12½) back in my home studio, using my photo references from my
residency for confirmation. A caribou’s coloring and antlers are more spectacular in winter than
in summer, when I saw them, so a good deal of research and preparatory sketches went into the
painting. For the tracks in the snow, I used photo reference I had from elk tracks in a Colorado snow.
photographed people, the harbor,
fishing boats and the rolling tundra,
which in some areas was covered
with brilliantly colored fireweed.
The number of amazing encoun-
ters I had were so numerous that it’s
impossible to capture them all here.
I hope that sharing some of my expe-
rience, however, will inspire other
artists—whether painters of wildlife,
landscapes or anything that nature
has to offer—to consider one of the
many artist-in-residence programs
that are available. These are wonderful
opportunities to trade your creative
skill for a fascinating place in which to
practice it. PJArtist Penny Creasy, of Grand Junction,
Colo., has lived on wildlife refuges in five
different states. Although she has studied
art at universities in Nevada and Arizona,
she has found that observing animals in
their natural habitats has provided the
best training of all. Her work in pastel has
been a part of juried exhibitions, including
the High Plains Audubon Art Show and the
Easton Waterfowl Show, in Easton, Md.ArtistsNetwork.com 15