Queensland Wildlife Artists Society Incorporated

 

Michelle Caitens: Exhibiting member. www.michellecaitens.com.

Growing up in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, Michelle’s childhood was surrounded by animals, both wild and tame. She was fascinated by a neighbouring dairy farmer who looked after abandoned or injured sugar gliders and feathertail gliders, returning them to the bush whenever possible.

Since then, Michelle has travelled extensively through Europe, North America and Australia which has greatly influenced her appreciation of the natural world and our unique Australian wildlife.

Michelle is a teacher, has illustrated music books, painted numerous murals in private homes and in schools as Artist-in-Residence, and has worked as a dance teacher and calligrapher. She also enjoys the connection with people and their animals by painting portraits.

Michelle supports a number of conservation organisations including the World Wildlife Fund, Save the Bilby Fund, Wildlife Warriors, the Wildlife Preservation Society and the RSPCA. With her art, she hopes to connect with the viewer emotively, touching a memory or perhaps providing a glimpse into the beauty of wildlife and the natural world.

‘If, in some way, wildlife art can help create awareness of the amazing world we live in, then we have achieved some success.’

 

 

Vic Cloete: Exhibiting member.

Vic was born and raised on the Rhodesian Copperbelt (now Zambia) in darkest Africa. It was there he grew to appreciate nature by the then largely untamed, unspoiled African bush, wildlife and the great Victoria Falls. Pets of antelopes, chameleons, tortoises and such no doubt also contributed! Vic went on regular extended fishing expeditions on the major Zambezi, Kafue and Congo Rivers, then too visited the famous game reserves, Kafue, Luangwa, Wankie, Kruger and Addo at every opportunity and also spent considerable time “out bush ” whilst in the defense forces.
His move to Australia in 1981 introduced him to mineral collecting. It was however African animal memories that motivated his art. Vic used to draw from an early age and did technical illustration in his work but had only a latent interest in painting. However, following his retirement in 2000, from a busy life in engineering with the mining industry, he got serious about it. During the first few years he attended a weekly art group with tuition. Vic has enthusiastically taken to painting his African wildlife and a growing number of Australian critters, as well as landscapes and mineral crystals (in rocks!), a pet subject tackled by few artists, since many of the species are only of microscopic size! He travels widely in Australia, and has visited New Zealand, Africa and the USA in search of these. He paints through both an artist’s and naturalist’s eye by stating “One cannot fail to be impressed with nature’s creation of uniqueness and aesthetics in every animal, bird and mineral specimen” Vic works mainly in oils, he says that his art involves no shortage of challenges to compose and realistically represent the subject
Vic exhibits locally and has received commendations for some of his work. His mineral renditions are to be featured in a US minerals magazine in early 2007 and his digital mineral macro photos are on the web
Email Vic at: Vic Cloete

 

Daryl Dickson: Exhibiting member. www.wildcardart.com.au

Daryl’s passion for Australian wildlife is evident with most of her work depicting the fine detail of Australia's beautiful and unique flora and fauna."My two great passions in life are wildlife and art. I am fortunate to have close contact with some of north Queensland’s rarest and most endangered species, through my work in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.
Living in the Kennedy Valley in tropical Far North Queensland, Daryl’s home is surrounded by an amazing diversity of unique flora and fauna providing endless inspiration, interest and color. The wet tropics is an inspirational place of exceptional natural beauty; the ideal home for an artist.