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 "Onward and Upward II" 20 x 48" Acrylic on Board2005 Steller's Jays $12,000 How to buy In 2004 some of my very best collectors offered me use of their cabin in Pinecrest, where I did precious little but sit on a porch for an entire three day weekend, marveling at the parade of birds that visited the feeders. Of particular interest was a suet feeder frequented by Western Tanagers and Steller’s Jays. Both had the convenient habit of landing on the deck railing for a brief moment before fluttering up under the feeder and snatching a bite in mid-air. This predictability of behavior allowed me to photograph them in flight (long before I had a camera with an auto shutter feature), and the “Onward and Upward” series is the result. In “Onward and Upward II,” I was most interested in showing the progression of the birds from sharply painted in the lower portion of the piece, to loose and gestural at the top. I wanted to suggest the flurry of motion, the blur of wings, and the transition from hyperrealistic to suggestive, to nearly abstract, as well as from “finished” to “unfinished” does the work handsomely. Given these interests, it’s no wonder that the background takes on a supporting role, the dark, upsweeping shape echoing the movement of the birds as clearly as the background space reflects the colors of their plumage.
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.