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Gary
Hodges was born in 1954, and has had a deep love for nature since
childhood.
In 1979
he began applying his keen sense of observation to his drawings and is
now Britain's leading wildlife pencil artist.
He gave
up his day job around 1989 to concentrate on his drawings and, shortly
afterwards, began to publish his limited edition prints himself.
By
retaining control of every stage, from drawing, to publishing, to
selling, Gary has never had to compromise on the very high standards he
has set himself.
He is a
genuinely sincere and generous human being who cares quietly, but
passionately, about the conservation of the animals he draws.
Through his drawings he has already raised his first quarter of a
million pounds for charity and is well on his way towards the second
quarter million - a phenomenal achievement for one individual in such a
short time.
Gary Hodges drawings stand out from the crowd because he combines a
remarkable technical ability with a deep feeling for the subject and a
sensitive understanding of its individual character.
His
sense of design and composition, often focussing on only a part of the
animal, always results in a striking image that demands the viewer's
attention and thought.
Others
have tried to achieve the same effect in pencil, but the result often
looks ordinary by comparison.
He may use very many different grades of pencil in a drawing. Each grade
is put to good effect as he painstakingly builds up tones and textures,
working on small areas at a time.
The
range of textures he creates - tough hide, fluffy fur, preened feathers,
dry scales - is extraordinary.
Often
there is a touch of humour - the big paw or menacing tooth - but in the
end it is the eye that fixes itself upon the viewer. It is here that he
begins each drawing.
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