D e n m a n S t u d i o s Showcasing the Art of A n d r e w D e n m a n
Home Available from Denman Studios Available from These Fine Galleries Available at Special Events Limited Edition Reproductions Archive of Previous Work Solo Touring Show: The Modern Wild About the Artist Contact Purchasing Information News & Events Teaching & Workshops Videos Commission Policy Galleries Newsletter & Mailing List Facebook Linked In Links	<Back to Thumbnails "The Vanishing Act" 18 x 24" Acrylic on Board2014 Amur Leopard $7,000 The Amur Leopard is one of the most critically endangered big cats in the world. With the last official census turning up less than two dozen adults and a handful of cubs, seeing one of these rare cats in the wild would be quite a feat. I am fortunate to live near to Project Survival’s Cat Haven, a wildlife education center in the Sierra foothills in California that funds grass roots conservation and big cat research around the world. Cat Haven has several Amur Leopards in residence; this one, and older female named Chen, had a history of being somewhat bad tempered. Oddly enough, that worked in my favor as she treated me to a wide range of expressions during our brief encounter, from the fierce, to the lazy, and the pensive. It was this haunting look that caught my attention and which inspired “Vanishing Act.” The juxtaposition of the geometric background pattern with the organic pattern of the cat serves to emphasize her amazing camouflage, the vanishing act nature intended. Conversely, the manner in which her coat bleeds away into the white of the underpainting draws attention to another vanishing act that dedicated conservationists are fighting desperately to avoid. Chen passed away several years after I took the photo reference for this painting, so “Vanishing Act” is something of an homage to her indomitable spirit. Who knows how many people she inspired, myself included, during her years as an ambassador of a steadily shrinking wild.
Welcome to the online home for artwork by Andrew Denman, a California –based, internationally recognized, award-winning contemporary wildlife artist. Denman primarily paints wildlife and animal subjects in a unique, hallmark style combining hyper-realism with stylization and abstraction. His dynamic and original acrylic paintings can be found in museum collections on two continents and in numerous private collections in the USA and abroad. His clear voice, unique vision, and commitment to constant artistic experimentation have positioned him on the forefront of an artistic vanguard of the best contemporary wildlife and animal painters working today. All artwork and text featured on this page and throughout this website is protected by international copyright laws. Use of these images or text is prohibited without the express written permission of Andrew Denman.