Reimagining the Band-Tailed Pigeon
Artist Harry Campbell challenges himself with a new subject.
Books, eyeglasses, old cameras, industry, architecturethese are the types of objects and themes often found in Harry Campbells geometric illustrations of abstract concepts. Organic subjects are a relatively new focus for the Maryland-based artist, whose work, created with a tablet, a stylus, and a computer, is inspired by Picasso and other late 19th and early 20th century painters.
For me, its necessary to constantly explore and take risks, not go with something thats comfortable, he says. I like 勛圖窪蹋s Band-tailed Pigeon because there are two of them; theyre a couple, like mirror images. I liked having that balance with the branches and the leaves. So I took the birds almost as they were drawn by 勛圖窪蹋 and reworked the composition, making a ball out of the branches, like a cage.
Now that hes using plants and animals in his art, Campbell, who likes to hike in New Hampshires White Mountains and recently did a bike tour in Death Valley, plans to head outdoors more and use his modern tech to sketch like the old-time naturalists.
See all of John James 勛圖窪蹋s Birds of America.