The Artist

A Note From Catherine McClung

Sometimes people express an interest in knowing more about me, what I do and how I got started. While growing up in Toronto, Canada, arts and crafts and nature were an endless source of fascination for me. As a teenager, I moved with my family to the United Stated. Later I became a naturalized citizen. I graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor of science degree.

In 1975, with a newborn baby daughter, I was substitute teaching. I thought there had to be an easier way than gathering up formula and diapers at 5 and 6 in the morning and rushing off to a babysitter. I began looking for a home business. I designed various characters of bath puppets and showed them to a friend asking for her opinion. She said, "Those are nice, but if I could paint like you, that's what I would do"! With those few kind words, I launched a painting career. At first I painted all subjects, but my most popular images were of birds, and my well-attended backyard feeder seemed like all the reference I needed.

Many of my first bird paintings were on barnwood and driftwood. In fact, the idea to use these as painting surfaces came while teaching adult and children's art classes at a local art supply store. Some merchandise arrived at the store packaged in barnwood. I thought it would look great with a bird painted on the old weathered surface. When I had a collection of these, I placed them in the window to advertise the classes, but people kept coming in to purchase them instead.

Soon I was selling my barnwood originals at arts and crafts shows. When most of my inventory would get snapped up the first day of an art show, I would stay up most of the night painting (often with dubious results) in order to have new works for the next day. After a couple of years I decided this would always be a craft for me, so I began painting birds in their natural habitat on watercolor paper. Many of my regular customers were disappointed with my new "fine art', but I persevered.

I have been living on Strawberry Lake since 1993. There is constant movement here with flocks of geese barking overhead, a kingfisher chattering, and raucous bluejays seem to rule the yard. The flowers of my garden and the gardens of my friends find their way into my art. I treasure my walks in this rural area to examine berries, leaves and wildflowers.

I publish my own signed and numbered limited edition prints (over 80 editions in all), most of which have sold out. My work has appeared on bookcovers, state bird posters, calendars, notecards, wrapping paper and in cross stitch. Lenox China discovered me about 1989 through an ad I placed in one of the art magazines. They commissioned a series of limited edition plates of songbirds and wildflowers. One collector plate I designed of a December wreath of birds and winter foliage gave the folks at Lenox the idea for holiday dinnerware. It is entitled "Winter Greetings". I have since gone on to design stoneware of "Summer Greetings' and the rustic "Riverwood" pattern.

I have been impressed with a new printing process I first saw in 1994 called giclée. I plan to produce a very limited number of these prints on fine watercolor paper for the year 2002. I will keep you informed of this when I have something to show you.

Catherine's style is easily recognized. Layer upon layer of watercolor glazes are used to create the transition between the soft blur of the background to the precise detail of the birds.

Catherine's work is frequently honored in bird and waterfowl competitions and is displayed in numerous shows and galleries. Perhaps her proudest achievement is being selected for the most prestigious Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum's Birds in Art Exhibition.

Catherine was selected as the featured artist of the Michigan Wildlife Art Festival. She has been honored by Ducks Unlimited and other conservation groups for her contributions.

A painting of indigo buntings and wild blackberries was commissioned for the cover of the Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas. Dow Corning Corp. also commissioned Catherine to paint Michigan's own kirkland's warbler.

One of Catherine's projects include bird posters commissioned by the Department of Natural Resources for numerous states. Catherine's limited edition plate series of songbirds and wildflowers for the Lenox China Company has spawned four dinnerware patterns. The popular fine dinnerware pattern of a wreath of winter bords and foliage entitled "Winter Greetings" soon lead to a colorful stoneware pattern. Catherine has since designed stoneware patterns of "Summer Greetings" and the rustic "Riverwood".