Cindy Sorley-Keichinger, Elegance, acrylic, 8 x 8.
Populated with some 400,000 plant species, the natural world is simply awe-inspiring. Yet imagine how empty it would be without the creatures that inhabit its diverse ecosystems and skies. Using bronze, oil, pastel, scratchboard, and many other mediums, the wildlife artists in the following pages portray nature’s magnificent animal kingdom, from the snow leopard, bobcat, and buffalo to the pileated woodpecker, red-eared slider, and sanderling. A few artists depict ranch animals and man’s best friend, too. Whether their subjects slither, trot, swim, scuttle, or fly, the fine artists in this section masterfully capture the splendor of all creatures great and small.