What a way to start 2024!!

On December 31, 2023 I received notice that my new painting “Leonardo” was juried into the 54^th Annual Women Artists of the West exhibit. The Phippen Museum in Prescott, AZ will host the exhibit which runs from March 1, 2024 through June 23. The opening reception for artists and guests will be on March 9th from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. I’d like to invite everyone to attend the reception or to visit the Phippen anytime during the show’s run.

“Leonardo” is one of my most ambitious paintings to date not only for the color and detail of his coat, but for the physical size of the painting itself (measuring 24” x 36″). 

Leonardo – a Jaguar-Leopard hybrid – has a special place in my heart. He was a beautiful Jaguar with an unfortunate history. Born into captivity, this wondrous creature was raised in a cage and trained for the entertainment industry. To make him easier to handle, his canine teeth were pulled as were all of his claws. When his trainers tired of him, they passed him off to a small roadside zoo in southern Arizona where he endlessly paced in a tiny 10 x 12 foot cage with little care.

Finally, the zoo no longer wanted him and Leonardo eventually found a caring home with Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center (SWCC) in Scottsdale, Arizona. And, that’s where I first encountered him enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. After eight loving and peaceful years at SWCC, Leonardo passed away at the age of 17 in 2020.

Magnificent is too small a word to describe how regal Leonardo was, and I hope my painting reflects some of his majesty.

For more information about Women Artists of the West, visit their website at:

https://www.womenartistsofthewest.org/

For more information about the Phippen Museum, visit their website at:

https://phippenartmuseum.org/upcoming-exhibits/

For more information about Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, visit their website at:

https://www.southwestwildlife.org/