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32 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday May 4, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Artscene Oakville Beaver · FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007 Passion for wildlife comes naturally to artist By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Bruce Lawes is no stranger to painting for a cause. Earlier this year, the local artist put his paintbrush to canvas to raise awareness and funds for physically and mentally challenged kids for The Sick Kids Foundation. Now, the 45-year-old is using his talent to help out the natural habitat. "It's incredibly rewarding when people admire your work," said Lawes, "but it's even more satisfying when you have something people want to admire, and it's also raising money and awareness to save the landscape and environment that we're slowly and sadly destroying." Lawes is one of a group of esteemed Canadian artists -- a group that includes Robert Bateman -- whose work has been chosen for the National Art Portfolio (NAP) program run by Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC), which fundraises for wetland conservation. It's clear Lawes is a fan of wildlife as soon as you set foot in his house. Most of his oil paintings ­ he calls his style "photo realistic," and they're so real you'd swear they're photographs ­ are of natural scenes or animals out in the habitat. In the past, he has used his paintings to bring awareness to the endangered Asiatic Black Bear in China, to celebrate Canada's aboriginal spirit, and to raise money for forest wildlife through the Ruffed Grouse Society in the United States. "My dad was always interested in birding and bird watching, so he got me into it," Lawes said of his interest in nature. "I just caught on from there." And like his father, Lawes appreciates the first-hand experience. An avid traveller, he's been to Egypt, all over Europe, Africa and more to get up close and personal with his subjects. Lawes' philosophy: "An artist who paints our natural world must continually experience all its wonders before he may truly cap- LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER A DUCK'S BEST FRIEND: Artist Bruce Lawes stands beside his painting, Northern Lights, which was chosen for the National Art Portfolio program run by Ducks Unlimited Canada to raise funds for wetland conservation. ture them on canvas." Some of his favourite spots are the Florida Everglades, Kilarney, The French River, Muskoka and Algonquin park. While he often uses photographs he's taken on trips to paint from, Lawes also works with the actual specimen whenever he can. Right now, there's a falcon in his freezer. "I can defrost the bird, pull its wings, pose the bird like I want and work from there," he explained, after pulling the falcon out of the "I can defrost the bird, pull its wings, pose the bird like I want and work from there." Artist Bruce Lawes explaining why he keeps a naturally-deceased falcon in his freezer freezer. "Sometimes I'll sit there with the actual bird in my hand. It allows me to really take a look at what the feathers look like." The falcon, which belonged to a falconer and friend of Lawes', died of old age, and was given to the artist to use as a subject. Lawes also rents stuffed birds from the Royal Ontario Museum and paints from those ­ a technique his wife, Luisa, prefers. "My wife doesn't like me doing that too much ­ the birds in the freezer," Lawes said, smiling. "I always say, behind every great artist is See Stamp page 33