Audubon ~ born 226 years ago



John James Audubon

April 26, 1785 ~ January 27, 1851

On the way to becoming an art legend in his own time, and culminating in the publishing of Birds of America, John James Audubon regularly destroyed his own drawings and paintings as his method of demanding better work of himself.   He studied many styles of drawing, painting, materials and never stopped trying to improve his work throughout his life.   There were times when even the gods seem to be against him.   After some time away from home, in 1812, he found rats had eaten his entire collection of over 200 drawings!   He started over and re-did his drawings to even higher standards.   To this day, his work is the standard by which the best bird artists compare and measure their efforts.  

Green Heron

'A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world

is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children'.

                                                                                                  -- John James Audubon

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BtheB