This has been the year of postponing and rescheduling … trips, celebrations, shows, events, workshops, etc. One of the events the gallery had to postpone featured wildlife painter Edward “Ned” Aldrich. His workshop, which typically sells out, is part of the gallery’s yearly calendar of events. Last year, Ned’s workshop weekend coincided with a fundraiser to benefit Wolfwood Refuge, and we were hoping to do the same this year.
Even though these events have been postponed, Ned is still busy painting in his studio. The gallery is still busy making plans for 2021. And, the wolves, foxes, cougars, owls, elk, and bears that Ned paints are still busy howling, yipping, hooting, and bugling. And you can still enjoy his wildlife portraits in person at the gallery, or on our website. Several new pieces have recently arrived and more are on their way.
Ned recently shared how his encounters with various wildlife influence his work as he photographs, at times interacts with and later reflects on the time spent in their presence.
“Over the years I’ve been fortunate to have different interactions with different wildlife. The closer I can be with them, within reason of course, the more I’m able to get into their world. Those experiences may not be immediately evident in how I compose a scene or how I paint, but they go directly to how I express myself in my work. Each experience becomes part of me as a person and as an artist. And then it becomes part of a painting. While I’m painting, I can recall the original experience that my composition is based on, letting that energy and my love for that animal hopefully inspire the viewer.
This is what makes art so personal. Every artist’s work is derived from their own personal experiences … each is different, all are unique. That intangible quality of individualized life experiences is what makes different art resonate with different people.”
SORREL SKY GALLERY 