Biography

There are two criteria for a painting that Anne Peyton places in each of her finished pieces: One is that the final image shows respect for the subject; the second is that viewers can learn something after studying the art. They are two principles that the artist has carried over to her new career as a wildlife artist, concentrating on birds and avian art.

For 20 years, Anne was one of the most sought after motorsports artists. Today, she has turned her eye and hand to the natural world. “In a way, it’s closing a circle. Birds and other wildlife were the subjects of my earliest paintings. My grandfather had a number of feeders at his Fort Collins (Colorado) home and he was very proud of the birds that visited his yard. I would spend several hours at the table sketching and painting the birds I saw.

“Painting birds may seem to be on the opposite end of the spectrum, but in truth there is a lot of similarity. Birds can be brilliantly colored or purposefully drab. They are technically difficult. The artist must be able to capture and represent the proper attitude of a bird in its natural setting.”

An avid birder, Anne has spent countless hours viewing birds around Arizona and the Southwest. “Observing birds and their habits is a way to discover more about their nature – the motions a Sandhill Crane makes during preening, the way a Golden Eagle walks along the ground instead of hopping or taking a short flight, or the frantic scolding of a House Wren guarding its nest hole. Each of these actions means something for the bird and it is these actions and their meanings that I want to convey to the viewer.”

Anne dedicates several hours each month to volunteering at Liberty Wildlife, a Scottsdale-based rehabilitation and education organization that treats injured animals. Rarely, a bird cannot be released back into the wild. Zoos claim some while others become avian ambassadors for their species at Liberty’s presentations. Anne’s specialty is assisting hawks and owls to become accustomed to people in educational and group settings.

“Each bird is an individual and behaves differently. Even among the same species, each bird has a distinct personality. That surprised me when I first started working with these amazing creatures, but it is an aspect that has served me well in the field and in my artwork.”

Anne Peyton is based in Ahwatukee Foothills, Arizona. She is a Master Signature member of Women Artists of the West, a Master Artist with The Bennington Collective, a Signature member of the Society of Animal Artists, a Signature Artist's Guild member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society, a Signature member of the Artists for Conservation, a Signature member of the American Plains Artists, a Signature member of the American Women Artists, and an Associate member of the National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylics.

Her work has been seen in the several exhibitions, including Birds in Art (Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wis.); the Arts for the Parks (Jackson, Wyo.); Miniatures and More (National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyo.); National Society of Painters in Casein & Acrylics annual exhibition (Salmagundi Club, New York City); and the numerous Society of Animal Artists' exhibitions.

Anne’s paintings are part of the permanent collection at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wis.; Bennington (Vt.) Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts; the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum, Tucson, Ariz.; and the Great Plains Art Museum, Lincoln, Neb.

Support for Conservation: 

Anne's work with Liberty Wildlife was featured in Wildlife Art magazine. She spends at least 20 hours each week working with Liberty's education raptors – birds of prey that have been through Liberty's rehabilitation program but are deemed nonreleasable for a variety of reasons. Her responsibilities include training the birds to be comfortable on both the handler's glove and in front of an audience, daily care of each bird, and working with other education team members so they can become proficient with handling the birds.

She is also one of Liberty's six eagle handlers, working with the organization's Bald Eagles and Golden Eagles each week and presenting these magnificent animals to the public. Anne makes more than 50 appearances on behalf of Liberty Wildlife each year.

Anne is committed to Liberty's mission of nurturing the nature of Arizona by providing quality wildlife rehabilitation, environmental education, research and conservation services. As a wildlife artist, she makes donations from sales of selected art pieces to support education training projects.

"Volunteering at Liberty is probably the most important and most gratifying work I have done," she says. "As more people move to Arizona, we're providing them with an opportunity to see these magnificent birds up close. Hopefully they or their children will make a connection with the birds and become aware of how the changing landscape is affecting those we share the land with."

It's also important that Anne knows more about her subjects so she can paint them while informing viewers about the wildlife and the place they occupy in the environment. She is active with Phoenix-area Audubon groups, participating in five recent Christmas bird counts as well as the International Migratory Bird Day count in May to help monitor the status of local species throughout the year.

She has used the knowledge she has gained to reach out to many local citizens, including guiding students, adults and tribal council leaders of the Gila River Indian Community on a December census of their reservation, teaching the young adults about the birds that live with the community and listening to the stories and songs of their elders.

In 2012, Anne was able to impart her knowledge to a new audience. As the Elizabeth Rubendall Artist-in-Residence at the Great Plains Art Museum in Lincoln, Neb., Anne spoke to more than 600 visitors including several groups of students from around the state. During this time she was able to teach about her art style, natural history of the birds she was painting, and conservation of the songbirds, waterfowl and raptors in the area including the dangers of lead poisoning and lead alternatives for hunting and fishing.

Anne and her husband have also instituted field trips with the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory in Bisbee, Arizona, by taking Liberty Education team members to see many of the bird species they work with interacting in the wild.

"The saying is 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush' but we've found that our education team can share more experiences with our audiences and be more passionate about our birds by watching the birds in the bush," Anne says. 

"Wildlife conservation depends on educating the public. People will only care for wildlife once they have an emotional connection to it. Looking into the eyes of owls and eagles makes a powerful connection."

 

Special Achievements: 

Juried and International Competition

2017

  • “Collection Critters,” Great Plains Art Museum, Lincoln, Neb., November 2017 - February 2018
  • “The Collective Members Show,” Bennington Center for the Arts, Vermont, September - December
  • Richeson 75 - Animals, Birds and Wildlife, Finalist (1) and Meritorius (2)
  • Artists For Conservation International Exhibit of Nature In Art, Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, November
  • American Women Artists “Under a Vast Sky” 2017 National Juried Exhibition, Tucson Desert Art Museum, Arizona, October - December
  • 38th Annual International Marine Art Exhibition, The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport, Mystic, Connecticut, September - December
  • Society of Animal Artists 57th annual “Art and the Animal,” The Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum, Oradell, New Jersey, September - October
  • Society of Animal Artists Member Show and Sale, Trailside Galleries, Jackson, Wyoming, August
  • Artists For Conservation 2016 Tour, Lanwan Art Museum at Lanwan Eco Art Park, Quindao City, China, August - September
  • Society of Animal Artists Member Show and Sale, The Nature In Art Museum, Wallsworth Hall, Sandhurst, Gloucester, England, July - September
  • “Wildscapes,” Bennington Center for the Arts, Vermont, June - July
  • “Black & White,” Bennington Center For The Arts, Vermont, June - July
  • American Women Artists 2017 Spring Online Juried Show - AWA Associates Competition, April 2017 - April 2018
  • American Plains Artists “Small Works” Signature Member Show, Ole #1 Firehouse Art Center, Pawhuska, Oklahoma, March-May

2016

  • “12 x 12” Show and Sale, Coutts Museum of Art, El Dorado, Kansas, November 2016 - January 2017
  • “All Creatures, Great and Small,” Four Corners Gallery at the Tucson Desert Art Museum, November 2016 - January 2017
  • Artist’s Magazine 33rd annual Art Competition, Finalist - Animal/Wildlife Category
  • Women Artists of the West 46th National Exhibition, RS Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, Texas, November-December
  • “37th Annual International Marine Art Exhibition,” The Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport, Mystic, Connecticut, October - December
  • Society of Animal Artists “Art and the Animal,” Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston, Texas, September - January 2017
  • Artists For Conservation “9th Annual International Exhibit of Nature in Art,” Grouse Mountain Resort, Vancouver, British Columbia, September - October
  • 2016 Kentucky National Wildlife Exhibit, Henderson (Ky.) Fine Arts Center, September - November - John and Dawn Kelsey Award
  • “Art of the Plains 2016” American Plains Artists 31st Annual Juried Exhibit, Fort Concho National Historic Landmark, San Angelo, Texas, June - August
  • “America's Parks Encore,” the Lightner Museum, St. Augustine, Florida, June - August
  • “Animalia,” Loveland Museum, Colorado, June - August
  • “Wildscapes,” Bennington (Vt.) Center for the Arts, June - July
  • American Women Artists 2016 Spring Online Juried Show
  • “Small Works,” Bennington (Vt.) Center for the Arts, May - December
  • “Texas Themed,” Society of Animal Artists Membership Show and Sale, R.S. Hanna Gallery, Fredericksburg, Texas, May-June
  • “Flight/Vuelo” National Juried Exhibit, Tubac Center of the Arts, Arizona, March-April
  • “Animals in Art” International Exhibition, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, March-April - Journal of the American Veterinary Medicine Association Award winner
  • American Plains Artists Signature Member Show, Southwind Art Gallery, Topeka, Kansas, March-April
  • “America's Parks Encore,” Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center, Chadron, Nebraska, March - May
  • “Masterworks from the International Guild of Realism,” Albany (N.Y.) Museum of Art, February - June
  • Tempe (Ariz.) Youth Library Bird-themed display, January-May
  • “The Best and the Brightest,” Scottsdale (Ariz.) Artists’ School, January - February

2015

  • “America's Parks Encore,” Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum, Logan, Kansas, December - January 2016
  • Artist’s Magazine 32nd annual Art Competition, Finalist (2) - Animal/Wildlife Category
  • Women Artists of the West 45th National Exhibition, Tucson Desert Art Museum, Arizona, November, Best Acrylic
  • The National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society “Best of America - 2015,” Ella Caruthers Dunnegan Gallery, Bolivar, Mo., and The Vine Gallery, Osage Beach, Mo., October - December
  • “36th Annual International Marine Art Exhibition,” The Maritime Gallery, Mystic, Connecticut, September - December
  • Artists For Conservation “8th Annual International Exhibit of Nature in Art,” Fairmont Waterfron Hotel, Vancouver, British Columbia, September 10 - 30
  • “Art of the Plains 2015” American Plains Artists 30th Annual Juried Exhibit, Great Plains Art Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska, August - October, Award of Excellence
  • International Guild of Realism “10th Annual International Juried Exhibition,” Principle Gallery, Alexandria, Virginia, August - September
  • “Birds of a Feather,” Tempe (Arizona) Center for the Arts, June -Septembet
  • “Art and the Animal Kingdom XX,” Bennington (Vt.) Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts, June - August
  • “Masterworks from the International Guild of Realism,” The R.W. Norton Art Gallery, Shreveport, La., May - July
  • The National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society 2015 Spring Signature Show, The Vine Wine Bar and Art Gallery, Osage Beach, Mo., May - June, Honorable Mention
  • “Masterworks in Miniature 2015,” Gallery One, Mentor, Ohio, May
  • “All Things Birds and Beautiful” Art Exhibit, Orcas Island Historical Museum, Eastsound, Wash., April – May
  • American Women Artists 2015 Spring Online Juried Show
  • “The Art of Conservation 2014 - An International Exhibit of Nature in Art” Tour, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Ariz., January - March; Broward County, Fla., April - June
  • “The Best and the Brightest,” Scottsdale (Ariz.) Artists’ School, January - March

​2014

  • Artist’s Magazine 31st annual Art Competition, Finalist (3) - Animal/Wildlife Category
  • Richeson 75 - Animals, Birds and Wildlife, Finalist
  • International Artist Magazine Wildlife/Animal Competition, 2nd Place
  • “A New Look at the West,” Pearce Museum, Corsicana, Texas, October - November
  • The National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society Fall Online International Exhibit, October -December, Award of Merit
  • 2014 Kentucky National Wildlife Exhibit, Henderson (Ky.) Fine Arts Center, October - November
  • The National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society “Best of America - 2014,” Ella Caruthers Dunnegan Gallery, Bolivar, Mo., and The Vine Gallery, Osage Beach, Mo., October - November
  • “The Art of Conservation 2014 - An International Exhibit of Nature in Art,” Grouse Mountain Resort, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, September - October
  • Gulf Coast Juried Exhibition, Rockport (Texas) Center For The Arts, September - October
  • Society of Animal Artists “Art and the Animal,” The Wildlife Experience, Parker, Colo., August - October, Driftless Glen Distillery Purchase Award (Morning Glory)
  • American Plains Artists Signature Member Show, Fort Concho National Historical Monument, San Angelo, Texas, July - August
  • American Women Artists “The 17th Annual Master & Signature Member Show & National Juried Competition Exhibition,” Addison Art Gallery, Orleans, Mass., August - September
  • “Art and the Animal Kingdom XIX,” Bennington (Vt.) Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts, June - August
  • “Artists For Conservation: Saving Nature One Brushstroke at a Time,” Nova Southeastern University, Alvin Sherman Library Gallery, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., May - June 
  • Women Artists of the West 44th National Exhibition “WAOWed in San Diego,” Women's Museum of California, San Diego, Calif., May - June
  • 27th International Exhibition on Animals in Art, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La., March - April
  • American Plains Artists “Art of the Plains” 2014 Juried Art Exhibit, Kerr Arts and Cultural Center, Kerrville, Texas, February - March, Award of Excellence
  • “America's Parks II,” Ella Carothers Dunnegan Gallery of Art, Bolivar, Mo., March - April, Honorable Mention (4)
  • “The Best and the Brightest,” Scottsdale (Ariz.) Artists’ School, January - March

​2013

  • The National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society “Best of America - 2013,” Ella Caruthers Dunnegan Gallery, Bolivar, Mo., October, Merit Award
  • “Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art,” The Legacy Gallery, Scottsdale, Ariz., November - December
  • Artist’s Magazine 30th annual Art Competition, Finalist - Animal/Wildlife Category
  • Richeson 75 - Animals, Birds and Wildlife, Finalist (2), Meritorius (1)
  • “Only Owls” (Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum Collection), Olewine Gallery, Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art, Millersburg, Pa., October 2013 - March 2014
  • International Guild of Realism “Rendezvous in Arizona,” Tempe (Ariz.) Center for the Arts, October - November
  • Rocky Mountain Animal Artists, “The Wildlife Experience in Art,” The Wildlife Experience, Parker, Colo., September 2013 - January 2014
  • “The Art of Conservation 2013 - An International Exhibit of Nature in Art,” Grouse Mountain Resort, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, September - October
  • Society of Animal Artists “Art and the Animal,” Bennington (Vt.) Center for the Arts, September - October Selected for National Tour
  • “Art and the Animal Kingdom XVIII,” Bennington (Vt.) Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts, June - August
  • Society of Animal Artists Show and Sale, Ward World Championship Wildfowl Carving Competition and Art Festival, Ocean City, Md., April
  • Scottsdale Artists’ School Friends Show, Scottsdale (Ariz.) Artists’ School, April
  • Sixth annual “Paint the Parks” Exhibition, The Wildlife Experience, Parker, Colo., March - June
  • Scottsdale Artists’ School “Celebrating 30 Years” Student Exhibition, Northern Trust Bank, Phoenix, Ariz., February - April
  • “America's Parks I,” Ella Carothers Dunnegan Gallery of Art, Bolivar, Mo., March - April, Honorable Mention
  • “The Best and the Brightest,” Scottsdale (Ariz.) Artists’ School, January - March
  • View a complete listing of Anne’s shows and societies to which she belongs at http://www.annepeytonart.com/Shows.htm

Permanent Collections

  • Driftless Glen Distillery, Baraboo, Wis.
  • Great Plains Art Museum, Lincoln, Neb. 
  • Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum, Tucson, Ariz.
  • Bennington (Vt.) Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts
  • Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, Wis.

Organizations