Wes and Rachelle began miniature work in earnest in 1998 and are members of the The Society of Animal Artists, The Miniature Art Society of Florida, The Hilliard Society of England, The Miniature Artists of America, The World Federation of Miniaturists and The Cider Painters of America.  Exhibits of their art have appeared throughout the United States, England, and Australia and will be coming to Canada in June 2001.  The Siegrists use photographs taken in the field from which to first sketch the thumbnails that form the basis for their watercolor paintings.

The web site, updated weekly by Wes, is a huge repository for their work featuring primarily the miniatures, but also a selection of full sized paintings.  The miniature paintings are segmented into seven sections: African, Birds, Birds of Prey, Butterflies, Game birds, Landscapes, Mammals, Reptiles, and Songbirds and further subdivided into Available Work and Sold Miniatures.  With such a large selection to choose from, it is difficult to decide which I liked best - they are truly all exceptional.  The breathtaking beauty of African wildlife is eloquently captured in Young Zebra and Grazing Gemsbok.  Under Birds, you can just about hear the tiny creatures chirping in Baby Greenies.  Sky Lord is a 3" x 3" portrait of a hawk keenly absorbed in some distant subject.  Two ducks float silently upon gleaming water in a painting titled Pintails in the Game Birds section.  Be sure to check the pictures within the Gallery of Sold Miniatures where you will find images as diverse as a grizzly napping on a lazy afternoon and prairie dogs nibbling on tasty treats.

An absolute must-see is the Step by Step Paintings & Reference Work section where you gain a close-up look at the creative process.  Ever Watchful is a tiny rendering of a fox and at the bottom of the page, the completed painting ... shown 4 times its original size!  King of the Mountain shows the steps taken by the artist to bring the grizzly to life.  Again, the penny serves to vividly emphasize how small and detailed these works are.

While reproductions of some of their larger paintings are available, they do not make prints of any of the miniatures in order to maintain their 'one-of-a-kind' status.  Both of these artists are avid conservationists, and as such, have taken a unique turn with the offering of free electronic greetings from their site.  For each greeting sent, donations are made to various wildlife groups.  "Realm of the Panther", a book commissioned by The Nature Conservancy, is illustrated with 14 paintings by Wes Siegrist and available for purchase directly from the web site.  It is the story of a two-day period in the life of a Florida panther family.  Also offered on site are mugs, t-shirts, and mouse pads featuring eight selected works.

Rachelle and Wes are the recipients of numerous awards and Rachelle has the prestigious honor of becoming the first non-British artist to be included in the The Permanent Collection of The Hilliard Society of England, an organization renowned worldwide for its presentation of miniature art.

"The purpose of our art is twofold: to illustrate our personal wildlife interactions and hopefully inspire similar encounters for our viewers.  Our work has merit only so far as one perceives the actual reality behind it."
-- Wes and Rachelle Siegrist

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