What does Howard Terpning have to do with "wildlife art?"

In a word, nothing if wildlife art is a club to which only those who paint wildlife all the time belong.

On the other hand, using a different definition:  what does Terpning have to do with all of the elemental ingredients, along with artistic principles, that go into creating a great piece of painting or sculpture?  For us and this magazine, the answer is everything.

One upon a time, an Abstract Expressionist was asked:  "How can you be an artist, you don't know how to draw?"

To which the Abstract Expressionist replied, "Come on, I drip paint onto canvas.  I don't need to draw."

And then there is the recent public comment that Damien Hirst made, between his flourishes of embalming fish and encrusting the skull of a child with diamonds, saying he had forgotten how to paint and draw.

Good for him.

We'll let readers make up their own minds about whether they think a classical understanding of art matters, and if it's important, as part of that education, to be able to realistically represent something, anything, before one moves on to portray it obtusely and keep viewers guessing. 

Terpning, a Realist, best known for his portrayals of Native American history, can paint well but he is a better draftsman.  He underwent grueling training as an illustrator, then created famous movie posters and depicted combat scenes while serving his country in Vietnam, and eventually he moved West and started painting scenes that speak to his heart and soul.

Terpning is considered one of the greatest narrative painters in American history. He is a master and living legend. Very seldom does animal imagery appear in Terpning's paintings;  occasionally on the tipis. Yes, his depictions involve Native Americans and, for the indigenous people of this continent there is no separation between life and nature, between humans in the landscape and wildlife. It's a holistic attitude, not a New Age touchy feely one.  And that spirit exists in Terpning's world view.

Beyond Terpning and the feature on him Telling The American Story, we welcome you formally to the new edition of Wildlife Art Journal.

Beginning with the sweet feature story on painter Leonard Koscianski (Koscianski's painting is on our virtual cover) writen by Janice Booth, continuing with the piece on Gaylen Hansen by Charles Finn, our interview with Wyoming animal painter Laney , and this profile on Terpning, Wildlife Art Journal magazine continues to roll out its new winter/spring 2011 edition one story at a time.  (*Don't forget Gallery of the Commons with works of over 80 different artists represented.  See below.)

The issue doesn't end until the last story comes off the line, which will be several weeks from now.  Who else is being profiled?  We're going to keep you guessing but suffice it to say, the stories have a global reach.

What other art magazine in the world comes to you this exciting way, with a sense of expectation?  We never turn stale.

Subscribers will be able to read every story, at full-length, as it appears.  And they have access to every story and image in our archives.

Meanwhile, enjoy.  And become a friend on Facebook.

Todd Wilkinson, for Jared Swanson and Anna Dingman

* Artists in current Gallery of the Commons include:  Gladys Roldan de Moras, David C. Gallup, Z.S. Liang, Clyde Aspevig, Sevina Yates, Eric von Schmidt, Ewoud De Groot, Francesca Sundsten, Carmen Chami Pedrosa, Rod Zullo, Sara Jane Doberstein, Adele Earnshaw, Julie Speidel, Debra Joy Groesser, Sadie J. Valeri, Desiree Gillingham, Anne Sherwood Pundyk, Gaylen Hansen, Ann Gardner, Erich Woll, Thorsten Hanewald, Ryan Jones, Rip Caswell, Stefano Vitale, Susan Fox, Kevin Sloan, Lori Lohstoeter, Christopher Reilly, John Austin Hanna, Carson Fox, Dan Chen, Rick Peterson, Janet Bloch, Jason P. Nelson, Davis & Davis, NASA, Timothy David Mayhew, Min Hyung, Carel Pieter Brest van Kempen, Tracy Hall, Sue deLearie Adair, Shane Wilson, Bregelle Whitworth Davis, Jorge Marin, Setsuo Hamanaka, Clive Meredith, William Eckhardt Kohler, George Northup, Corina St. Martin, Juliann Jones,  Jim Sardonis, Dustin van Wechel, Kristine Taylor, Debbie Stevens, Billy-Jack Milligan, Marco Preziosi, Amanda Luck Baltzell, Stephane Alsac, Kelly Singleton, Linda Schroeter, Marisa Rehana Mann,  John Serediuk, Robert L. Caldwell,  Sue Gombus, Jeff Montagne, Theresa Rankin, Jan Lee, Ken Newman,  Beth Restrick, Shakthi Prasad,  Susan Lees, Nicki Bernacchi. Hisashi Masuda,  Yasuo Watanabe, Eriko Kobayashi, Mari Otaguro, Michiaki Ujihara, Osao Ujihara, Yoshihiro Funada,  Yoshitaka Minowa, and  Mio Hashimoto.