Claudia Hahn
@claudiahahn.bsky.social
MIWAS art director / editor Artist, Science and Natural History illustrator, collector of illustrated books and Sci-Fi enthusiast. Strictly no genA.I. Shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/heliocyan
As we see everyon’s new goals, a gentle reminder that for a lot of us the goal is often just to survive the year. I let my year end slowly. I haven’t touched a paintbrush in weeks, and I’m ok with it. I spent the quieter days knitting. I will, of course, be back with new paintings soon. HNY to you!
Sweating out of fear this won’t work, but right now, I’m still telling myself: “trust the process!” This is dyed pure silver leaf. I can’t even tell everyone how utterly annoying this material is, compared to gold leaf. It’s splintering into thousands of tiny pieces, nearly impossible to remove!
I’ll be exhibiting at the #SNA end of the month. It’s a great nature themed exhibition in a fantastic venue, and an art market, where I have a table. Here’s the invite to the private view if you like to pop along. The more, the merrier! #nature #art #wildlifeart #landscapeartist #paintings
WIP of an entry that’s going into an exhibition next week, and is still nowhere near finished… it always takes so much longer than I think, but I’ll get there. Eventually.
Hand in day for the MIWAS art exhibition at the fabulous Marwell Hall on the zoo grounds. There are some spectacular works! If you are in the area, have a look, it’s this weekend. We worked really hard to get this exhibition off the ground and the result is stunning.
The flyers & private view invites have arrived, and while the exhibition catalogue is still in production, I have a few days to take a breath from organising this show. I don’t think I got more than 4 hours of sleep a night for the last few months. So exhausted. It’s coming together nicely, though!
Common hawthorn appreciation post. This shrub grows by the footpath to the village, at this time of the year it looks spectacular. It’s a native plant, and makes a wildlife friendly choice for garden borders. Birds love the thick foliage for cover.
It’s getting closer! Really looking forward to it. Friends, if you are one of the lovely people who booked a bio page in the catalogue, *now* would be a good time to send me your images. It needs to go to the printers soon. (You know who you are…😉) #MIWAS #artsociety #exhibition #wildlife #marwell
If you see this, it's time to start that personal, self-indulgent art piece that you've been putting off.
Today is ‘draw-a-bird’ day! Let me see your birdies!! Here’s my Malayan peacock pheasant as a humble offering. #birdart #sciart #illustration #traditionalart #birds #pheasants #Phasianidae
It’s #portfolioday! My name is Claudia, I’m a wildlife artist and scientific illustrator. I have several field guides and educational books under my belt. I work in traditional media. No genA.I.
Another meeting in Marwell Hall to organise the MIWAS art exhibition. Now the submission date has closed, more work behind the scenes starts for us. Lovely sunny day at Marwell, all the unicorn cows were out, grazing. #marwellzoo #artexhibition #wildlife #nature #artists #painters #traditionalart
We have resurrected MIWAS! This is our first exhibition after a long break of 10 years. 23-26 of May in Marwell Hall, Hampshire, in the grounds of Marwell Zoo. The art marquee is also back, exhibitors can book pitches. The subject has to be wildlife, traditional media only. More info: themiwas.com
“The Visitor”. How it started vs how it’s going. First time using walnut ink on copper. It bled a lot more than I expected, hence it looking a bit rougher than I had planned. I like the unexpected effect, though. #SciArt #deathhead #hawkmoth #gilding #illustration
My stand at the Creative Craft Show in Birmingham. I’m always amazed how all this, including the tables, fits into my car. And no, my drive is no van, or even a pick up truck. #volvo #artshow #artistlife #art #wildlifeart #nec #birmingham
Variegated leaf turns out differently every time. I absolutely *love* the pattern of this particular corner, and how it turned out. #gilding #goldleaf #sciart #starling #birdart #illustration #african #natureart #artist #wildlifeart #Miwas #limitededitionprints
Now waiting for the glue to dry, to apply gold leaf. 😴😴😴 These are cape starlings. So iridescent! So shiny! And just as noisy as starlings everywhere. #gilding #goldleaf #sciart #starling #birdart #illustration #african #natureart #artist #wildlifeart #Miwas #limitededitionprints
Don’t you just hate it when only walking through the freezer aisles of a supermarket triggers your Raynaud's. Haven’t even touched anything yet.🙄 Which means that I won’t be able to hold a paintbrush or pencil for a while, until this has stopped flaring up. #raynaud #hiddendisability #artistproblems
Frozen mistletoe. Just because, it’s pretty. Feel free to use it as reference for your drawings. #mistletoe #botanical #artfreference #closeup
It always bothers me when I have to paint something not anatomically correct, to fulfil a client request. But: If it makes them happy, I shall make those teeth longer. Who am I to judge! Album artwork for Marco Minnemann. #sciart #wolf #teeth #marcominnemann #albumartwork #canine #clientrequest #art
Thank you so much for all of you coming to see me at Nature in Art. It was really overwhelming at times! I had the honour to show Toyah Willcox, Robert Fripp, and their manager and friends David and Indeg what I do for a living. Such a great last day, surrounded by all around awesome people. #art
The evening sun is gorgeous, reflecting in the gold leaf of my work. Shame all the visitors have gone by now. Ah well, shine on, my crazy diamonds… #artist #goldleaf #birdart #natureart #natureinart #wildlife #paintings
I’m currently artist in residence at Nature in Art. It lies quite rural in the Cotswolds, close to Gloucester. Walking up the long driveway leading to the museum in the morning never gets old. #natureinart #museum #artmuseum #natureart #cotswolds #art #wildlifeart #gloucester #countryside
The Cape starling (Lamprotornis nitens), native to Southern Africa, one of the most striking birds I’ve ever seen. Just as noisy as our starlings as well. “The Fancy Flight Squad” - ink and variegated leaf. Lim edition, 13.5” x 21.5”, £230 +pp #sciart #illustration #birdart #birds #starling #african
My printer stopped working a while ago. That’s it, I thought, how very inconvenient. I really haven’t got the funds to buy a replacement right now… Turns out it was just jammed by a pick that fell into its paper slot! Add this to ‘stupid reasons the printer stops working.’ #lucky #artistproblems
I know this sentiment is well shared, but every once in a while I think about how beautifully powerful and inspiring these paintings are.
Malayan Peacock-pheasant, also known as crested peacock-pheasant. Conservation status of these stunning birds is endangered, due to habitat loss and deforestation. Hand embellished with variegated copper and purple pure silver leaf, 13.5” x 21.5”, £189 +pp #birdart #gilding #art #Januaryofferings
“Serenity” (or the not-so sleepy wood mice) - giclée print, hand embellished with metal leaf. 5/100, £85 + pp. Both wood mice and the dormice from my previous post are 8” x 10.5”, and make a great set. #artprint #goldleaf #mice #wildlifeart #Januaryofferings
