Rita Sklar
California Quail
Watercolor on Rice paper
California Thrasher
Watercolor on paper
Tricolored Blackbird
Watercolor on Paper
Allen's Hummingbird
Mixed Media
Canvasback and Scaups
watercolor on Yupo
Rita Sklar
www.ritasklar.com RitaAtArt@sbcglobal.net
Like the canary in the coal mine, birds are an indicator species, and their decline is a wake-up call to take better care of our planet. My interest in wildlife made me aware of the decline in bird populations, and in an effort to express my appreciation for the uniqueness of each species, I have painted a series of birds. I was encouraged by a grant from the Cultural Arts Department of the City of Oakland.
The Audubon Society’s new climate study reveals the devastating effect global warming is likely to have on bird populations, and identifies the habitat strongholds they will need in order to hang on.
The Bald Eagle was removed from the “Endangered Species” list after DDT was banned. However, our national symbol could lose 71% of its current range by 2050. It may see a 56% range expansion into areas opened up by global warming, but it will still need prey and nesting habitat in those new areas.
The wildlife in my paintings is reverently depicted with all the variation in shapes, colors and patterns that birds present. These paintings signal the fundamental dichotomy of the beauty and value of life and the longing for resolution of that which is threatening our planet.
Many of my paintings are framed in hand-crafted upcycled redwood.
Rita Sklar is an award-winning artist. She received the “Award of Distinction” from the National Museum of Women in the Arts in 2013. She was a finalist for the BBC International Wildlife Artist of 2012 and 2011. A Signature Member of the California Watercolor Association (CWA), she received two grants from the Oakland Cultural Arts Program and a commission from the Alameda Arts Commission. Sklar’s work was selected for the National Exhibit of the National Watercolor Society in Los Angeles. The Triton Museum selected her work for their 2012-13 Statewide Watercolor Competition. Featured frequently at the San Francisco Women Artists’ gallery, her work has been exhibited at Filoli Gardens, Firehouse Art Gallery, Tilden Regional Park, Expressions Gallery and the Palo Alto JCC, among others.