About the
Lathams
A brief biography about the
Latham family of artists -- addressing their passion for art &
wildlife....
 The
Lathams are a family of wildlife artists. Karen first realized
her love of art at the age of 10, but was discouraged from choosing it
as a career. She then pursued a science degree and earned her BS
in biology because of the many outdoor activities, such as camping,
hiking, & fishing, she experienced with her family as a child.
She married her husband, Ted, also an avid outdoorsman &
conservationist. After graduation, Karen began taking painting
classes. She began by painting portraits & decided to become a
professional artist in 1977. After moving to Minnesota in
1980, she experimented with painting wildlife as her subjects.
In 1992 Karen began painting miniature works because of the time
restrictions of raising a family. Passing on her knowledge she
gathered as an artist & environmentalist, Karen shared her expertise &
skill with her daughters, Rebecca & Bonnie, exposing them to the
fundamentals of art and wildlife from a very young age.
Rebecca began her
career as an artist in 1992, painting mostly decorative florals.
She began painting miniatures in 1994. In 1996 she began
painting wildlife because of her growing interest in nature research
& painting it's detail, feeling she could both paint what she
loved and help the environment. Bonnie
also began her career as a wildlife artist in 1996. Both
girls saw the possibilities of conservation through their involvement
in the Federal Jr. Duck Stamp Program. The
sisters grew up with many off-the-trail hiking trips, camping outings,
and canoe excursions to the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area with their
parents. The more they painted wildlife, the more their love for
it grew.
Because of their love
of nature and art, they are a very close-knit family. The
Lathams have extensively taught, sharing their concerns &
knowledge with kindergarten aged children through senior
citizens. They have been recognized as avid volunteers in
wildlife organizations and art groups, and continue to help in every
way possible.
Concerns
The Lathams' love of
nature runs deep. Their paintings are never just pretty
pictures. They research their subjects so they can portray them
in their natural setting. They strive to capture the expression
and behavior of the animals they paint. The artists never paint
a subject they haven't experienced first hand. They feel the
most important part of their work is witnessing the beauty and unique characteristics
of each species. If the fauna or flora can't be portrayed as a
sharing of their experiences, perhaps it shouldn't.
The artists hope to
use their art to initiate an environmental awareness to the many
people who may never have noticed, if not for their artwork.
Their goal is to promote the conservation and awareness of the natural
world to collectors, other artists, and the general public.
Today's wildlife, from your backyard to the rainforest, fight daily
for their survival. It is our duty to save the few wild places
that are left -- before they're gone. They feel that if they can
make only a few people aware of the deep need for the
conservation of wildlife and natural habitat, their efforts have
been successful.
You can help!
One of the best ways
to help is to join conservation organizations. Many of these
organizations will also gladly accept volunteers. Please do your
part to ensure that natural wilderness areas will exist for future
generations. If everyone does a little, we can do a lot.
AUDUBON
SOCIETY
RAINFOREST
ACTION NETWORK
WORLD WILDLIFE FUND
MN
RAPTOR CENTER
NATIONAL
WILDLIFE FEDERATION
US
FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE
FED.
DUCK STAMP OFFICE
NATURE
CONSERVANCY
DUCKS
UNLIMITED
SIERRA
CLUB
WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION SOC.
WORLDWATCH
INSTITUTE
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