More than 120 wildlife artists will be represented in the 65th edition of Society of Animal Artists’ Art & The Animal Exhibition,opening October 10 at the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls. Besides the artists, the stars of the show are the animals, which will be shown in many shapes and sizes, and originating from all around the globe.
Elise Mahaffie, Peaceful Feeling, oil on canvas, 24 x 20 in.
The exhibition, which kicks off on October 10 with a reception that will include many of the society’s participating members, is meant to reinforce the core mission of the organization. The society was formed in 1960 by Patricia Allen Bott and Guido Borghi, “two visionaries who sought to reposition animal art as an important contemporary art form by creating a community of like-minded artists,” the SAA notes in its history. Although the group was established in New York City, it frequently holds events and exhibitions in the West, where wildlife art plays a large role in the American art market.
Artists in this year’s show include wildlife masters such as Robert Bateman, Jeremy Bradshaw, Tim Cherry, Guy Coheleach, Mick Doellinger, Paul Rhymer and many others.
Janice G. Bogy, Waiting in the Shadows, scratchboard, 24 x 36 in.
Painter Elise Mahaffie will be in the show presenting her oil painting Peaceful Feeling, a close-up image of a horse. “For this painting, I chose to zoom in close so I could focus on all the colors, shapes and details of his beautiful face,” the artist says. “The tight composition really gave me the feeling of being right there with this sweetheart of a guy while I was painting. Being a graphic designer for a good part of my life has influenced the way I interpret shapes and how I see things. I love details, interesting color combinations and unique, simplistic compositions.”
Pati Stajcar, Great White, bronze, 28 x 27 x 11 in.
In her scratchboard work Waiting in the Shadows, artist Janice G. Bogy depicts a subject she has had close encounters with near her home. “I live on the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains and share my mountain home with a wide variety of wildlife, including these magnificent cats,” Bogy says. “I have been ‘watched’ and had every hair on my neck tingle with the sense I wasn’t alone. While no art is a substitute for the real thing, I wanted the viewer to have a sense of what might be waiting in the shadows.”
Kelly Singleton, River’s Edge, oil, 36 x 24 in.
In the painting River’s Edge, artist Kelly Singleton is the one doing the watching as she turns her attention to a quiet moment with an elk as it stands at a reflective pool of water in the wilderness. “One fall evening in Grand Teton, I watched elk cows grazing by the river in fading light, hoping one might wander down for a reflection shot. No luck,” Singleton says. “Just as I was about to leave, a bull elk quietly emerged from the trees and walked to the water’s edge. The calm, the light, the reflection—it all came together. That moment inspired this painting—a reminder that nature shows up on its own time.”
Patsy Lindamood, Take Flight III, graphite on cradled Claybord, sealed with acrylic, 24 x 36 in.
Artist Patsy Lindamood chose to focus on birds in her graphite piece, Take Flight III. “The choice to execute this in graphite was simple: stripping the composition down to shapes, lines and values would intensify the sense of the movement, the drama and the cacophony of the moment,” Lindamood says. “The starkness of the graphite augments the motion and enhances the spectacle of that scene when a crowded field of birds suddenly takes flight—all at once—all in approximate unison.”
Michelle Grant, Power Steering, oil on canvas, 14 x 11 in.
Michelle Grant will be showing her piece Power Steering. “I wanted to capture the raw power and tension of a saddle bronc moment—that instant when the horse had its own idea of where to go, even as the pick-up man took hold,” Grant says. “The focus is on the horse’s intense expression, letting the energy of the moment dissolve into sketch lines and construction, drawing the viewer right into the animal’s determination and force. I love focusing on the textures—the worn leather, the softness of the muzzle, and especially the expression in the eye.”
Gary J. Eigenberger, Rock Face Lovers, carving, oil on tupelo wood, 9 x 8 x 6 in.
The exhibition continues through January 3, 2026. —
65th Annual Art & The Animal Exhibition
The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho
300 S. Capital Avenue, Idaho Falls, ID 83402
www.societyofanimalartists.com
Powered by Froala Editor
