Anderson was the Grand Prize winner of International Artist magazine’s Challenge No. 107, Wildlife.

Cher Anderson

Cher Anderson says her wildlife artwork can be described as “an interpretation of what I see filtered by the emotion of the moment.” She paints realistically with the aim of rendering the creatures and environments as accurately as possible. She will analyze her paintings by reviewing and correcting the elements that are critical to the composition.

Anderson elaborates, “I think it is important to represent my subject accurately in its environment. Seasons change, plumage, fur and the colors surrounding the animals, and it is very easy to make a mistake by placing an animal in the wrong surroundings with the wrong coat for the season. Birds go through plumage changes not only during the seasons, but also at different stages of their lives. I research and study what I will be painting to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Inspiration can strike at any moment for the artist, who resides in Arizona, so she takes a camera with her everywhere. “Sometimes the best photos are the least expected,” Anderson says. She adds, “I find myself especially fascinated by birds and have painted more birds than anything else because they are so unique to each other and incredibly beautiful. They never case to amaze me.”

Cher Anderson works in her studio.

Her first wildlife painting was The Hunter, depicting a peregrine falcon, which she created after a workshop. “I was in the presence of this majestic bird and was able to photograph him and study him as he perched,” she says. “This species was endangered due to the use of DDT pesticides that would cause their egg shells to thin and break while being incubated. They have made a great recovery since the pesticide has been banned from use. It took me six months to complete as I painted him feather by feather until perfected. The Hunter has won multiple awards internationally and is currently touring with the 2017 Artist for Conservation exhibit.”

The desert birds near her home in Arizona have also been inspiring, including the red-tailed hawk that appears in her painting Fire in the Sky. “Their beauty and majesty as they soar and float above our heads is a reminder of their freedom and strength,” she explains. “I wanted to paint this beautiful raptor because of the variety of color and hues in their plumage. With the sun shining through its luminous feathers, auburns, coppers, grays, purples and golden tones lit up like a flame of fire against the purest blue sky. The red-tailed hawk is very adaptable and lives in a variety of habitats including pastures, parks, desert, and even tropical rainforests in Mexico. They are strong in their numbers, widespread and they mate until death do they part. Fire in the Sky is a celebration of the strength of this beautiful bird.”

Fire in the Sky, acrylic on board, 48 x 36”

Another of her works, Pounce!, which shows a mountain lion ready to make his move, was on view in the 2017 exhibition Puma: Past and Present at the Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona. “What captured me most about this beautiful mountain lion was his intense stare and the color of his eyes,” she shares. “He was in the position ready to pounce at something that captured his attention. The clarity of his stare was hypnotic and I had to paint him in the way I connected with him. It is quite fascinating and exciting to be in the presence of such a beautiful animal.”

In the last two years, Anderson has won awards internationally and has become a member of the Artists for Conservation and Women Artists of the West. She says, “My husband, John, and I have built environments and have rescued exotic animals such as giraffes, zebras and we raise Andalusian horses on our ranch in Chandler, Arizona.”