“Often, I’ll look for a particular species, and what
I’ll see is something totally unexpected. The
unpredictability of seeing animals in the wild is as
exciting as actually seeing them — it’s what I call
planned unpredictability. And when you do see what
you’ve planned, it’s serendipity.”
-Rod Frederick
The serene outdoors seem at odds with the wild and crazy character of this
artist, who is as famous for his paintings as he is for his sense of humor and
gaudy shirts! If seen on his constant excursions into the wilds, many a
collector would tell of an eccentric pirate come to life, only this
swashbuckling, seemingly fearless explorer was more anxious to gain and share
the treasure of knowledge rather than riches.
“I grew up in a
house full of pets,” he says. “My mom had a degree in fine arts and although my
dad was a lawyer, he was a weekend painter.” So his love of animals and art was
sown early (also inspired when he received a gift of Roger Tory Peterson’s Field
Guide to the Birds) and he attended Willamette University with a major in art
and a minor in biology. “So I could know my subjects outside and in,” he says.
He put that education to good use as he embarked on a fine art career that would
allow him to do what he enjoyed most; explore
and
learn.
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The Emperor's Ball
“I’m
surprised that 45 penguins made it into 'The Emperors’ Ball, but it
seemed like every time I came back to the easel, another had shown up.
That’s the tricky thing about flightless birds, they waddle in low so
you don’t see them coming.
Emperor
penguins, in fact all penguins, live in the Southern Hemisphere. A
flightless bird of this size could never have developed in the Arctic
with hunters such as polar bears, foxes and wolves. But Emperors thrive
in the Antarctic where there are no four-legged predators.
People
love penguins and today I find myself especially attracted to them. I
don’t fly or jump as high as I used to on the basketball court, so maybe
that’s it. But there is something special about them. Think about, the
guys, just the guys, who stay home to watch the eggs over a long dark
winter where the temperature can fall to -40, while the girls enjoy a
two-month long ladies night out. I bet there is some serious celebrating
when the summer finally comes along and that’s the idea behind 'The
Emperors’ Ball.'”
- Rod
Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
“This was one of my first paintings of a grizzly,” says artist Rod
Frederick, “and it’s also one of my favorites. The setting is
Glacier National Park, a haven for grizzlies in the lower 48 states
because it’s over a million acres; since it was established in 1910
the wildlife were protected early on. There are an estimated 300
grizzlies in the Park. Grizzlies can be dangerous but despite their
size and strength they are predominantly vegetarian and learn from
their mothers where and when to look for succulent food. We
interrupted this forager and I recommend we take a step back now …
many steps back.”
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
The
black bear, the smallest of the three North American species
of bear, actually comes in many colors, ranging from
bluish-black to brown. In the past, visitors to national
parks sometimes fed the black bears and the animals
occasionally frightened a tourist by aggressively
approaching them for more food. When left alone in their own
habitat, however, black bears are shy and avoid people.
Visitors are forbidden to feed them now, so the bears have
retreated to the back country where they lead an elusive
existence in forests ranging as far north as Alaska and as
far south as Mexico.
“I have spotted black bears
on many hiking expeditions,” says artist Rod Frederick. “I
encountered this full-grown male one day in the lingering
snow of early spring in the Cascade Mountains of the Pacific
Northwest. I turned the corner and there he was. Because
bears have notoriously bad eyesight, it took a moment before
he sensed me. When he did, he turned and ran. Seeing him so
close was an exhilarating experience"
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
The scene shown here exists in no
particular place, but is in fact a composite of several locations from
Alaska to Wyoming and Montana. These hardy spruce and fir trees have
seen quite a lot of snow, but they’ve been around long enough to see
that spring is never very far away . . . except in Alaska.”
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
These
Blue-and-gold Macaws can expect to live for over 70 years,”
says Rod Frederick. “Rainforests present their inhabitants
with a relatively consistent weather and food supply. Over
the millennia, birds like these Macaws have adapted to that
by producing fewer young and living longer. Birds from more
northern climates that contend with inconsistent seasonal
weather and shifting food supplies have adapted to the
potential of shorter life spans with a greater rate of
reproduction. These three rainforest denizens can count on
being friends for quite a long time.”
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
“Bald eagles,
our national symbol, have come back dramatically from near
extinction over the last fifty years. They’re a very common
sight where I live in the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. I
never get tired of looking at bald eagles, nor do I ever
tire of the sunsets we get here, looking toward the West and
the Cascades. This horizon in particular lends itself to a
longer image, one where you can look in every direction and
see something. I wanted to show the eagles as they flew
across the skyline, using the last fading rays of sunlight
to find a place to roost for the night. They’re surfing the
sunset, riding those last thermals before they go to bed.”
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
No two animals personify the spirit of the
North American wilderness better than the wolf and the bear. While few of us
will ever chance upon either in our backwoods excursions, the knowledge that
they exist is what truly makes the wilderness wild.
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
diptych
"Few people realize that eagles can soar
at up to 200 miles-per-hour in their roller coaster flights. One of my
favorite places to climb and watch them is the mountains of Vedavoo in
Wyoming. Splendid flyers, golden eagles will spread their eight-foot
wingspan and ride the northern thermals for hours on end. They are truly
inspiring to watch.”
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
As fall turns to winter in the mountains,
the sense of impending snowstorms is in the air. After a summer of grazing,
the mule deer feel the change and know it’s time for their annual migration
from higher to lower elevations on the mountain range. Their coats have
changed from the orange/yellow of summer to gray. “I live in a mule deer
range and have them in my yard all the time,” says artist Rod Frederick on
the subject of his latest fine art limited edition. “Although the bucks
become scarce during hunting season, I chose to show a buck and doe in this
scene. They’re fascinating to watch and I wanted to show the seasonal
migration in this painting. The buck is in full glory, his antlers at full
growth. He’ll shed his antlers in the late winter and they’ll start growing
again the next spring, each year growing progressively larger.”
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
“This is one of my favorite places to hike, I really enjoy the sights and
sounds found high in the timberlands during this time of the year.” Wildlife
takes full advantage of the short mountain summers, when many different
species are tossed together into the same habitat – much like a salad. As
the days get longer and warmer, the snow disappears and everything springs
to life. The Cascade Mountains provide a stunning background for the wild
alpine flowers and butterflies as the singing of white crown sparrows fills
the air."
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
It is early fall in The Wake Up Call, the
low sun bathes the mountains in alpenglow as mist rises off the water. This
western scene is as familiar to Rod Frederick as his backyard, and could be
almost anywhere in the Rocky or Cascade mountain ranges.
The number in each bull’s group is limited
only by his ability to defend his mating territory. Hormones are flowing
freely, as evidenced by the pair of fighting elks. Sometimes I can get so
caught up in the excitement of watching elk which are fifty feet away that I
might not even see the Canadian geese
five feet from me.”
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
In artist Rod Frederick's world, wildlife
is another natural piece of his
wide vistas, soaring trees and sky-scraping mountains. It is autumn in
Before the Storm, and the bull elks are at their prime from a summer of
feeding. As the season shifts into winter, the bulls are called to rejoin
the herds by the cooler nights and shorter days. Each bull collects his
females on the way down to winter range, the numbers of his group limited
only by his ability to defend his mating territory.
"Although young bulls
usually avoid confrontation, the meeting of two similarly-sized bulls is an
undeniable call to establish dominance. A silent challenge
passes between the two males, but the next move - and the outcome - is
unpredictable."
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée canvas
handsigned by the artist
Summer
in the high meadows of the Tatoosh range is as striking as it is short. From
snow melt to first snow, entire cycles of life will come into being,
flourish, then cease to be. Three bull elk forage through this alpine
wonderland of flowers, rufus hummingbirds and dragon flies, as they bulk up
for winter’s certain onset. Yet as this day’s last light falls on the
ridgetops behind, the snows are far off and the majesty of summer abounds.
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée on paper
handsigned by the artist
"High in the timberline, the elusive wolf pack
is on the move. In a matter of minutes, the view can change for miles, as
clouds and wind reclaim the ground and everything on it. The constantly
moving wolves disappear like ghosts in this everchanging mist, only to
re-emerge in
the shifting shadows."
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée on paper
handsigned by the artist
Mount Ranier is a huge, sleeping volcano and
the tallest mountain in the Cascade Range with an altitude of 14,410
feet. Although summer is brief in the subalpine area, it is spectacular!
"Summer shines through the thin
mountain air with an explosion of colors and textures. The entire area
is transformed by meadows of dazzling wild flowers. In this painting,
two young black-tailed fawns bask in the tall grass along a glacier
stream as their mother surveys the high meadows."
- Rod Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée on paper
handsigned by the artist
"The great heron is a common bird in the
Pacific Northwest, as well as being Portland, Oregon's official bird. Since
I've also always wanted to capture the constantly changing gold colors of
the sunset, I combined these two subjects to create a work of art I hope
you'll find
serene and relaxing."
- Rod
Frederick
Limited Edition Giclée on paper
handsigned by the artist
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