Wildlife artist Barry W. Van Dusen of Princeton, Massachusetts works closely with Audubon societies and conservation organizations throughout New England. His work has been featured in books, magazines, poster and educational brochures involving many aspects of natural history, though his favorite subjects are birds. Among the books which Barry has illustrated are Birds of Massachusetts (1995) and A Birder's Guide to Eastern Massachusetts (ABA, 1994). Barry enjoys traveling to new locations, often working in the field to sketch landscapes and birds direct from life. The resulting paintings and drawings have been exhibited at galleries, nature centers and museums throughout this country and in Europe. His work has been included in Wisconsin's renowned international show "Birds in Art" three times, and he was named Audubon Alliance Artist of the Year for 1992. In 1994 Barry was elected a member of London's Society of Wildlife Artists.
"Most wood warblers migrating through New England in autumn wear nondescript plumages quite unlike their springtime colors. Unwilling to sort out these subtle plumages, many bird watchers forego identification altogether and pass off the entire lot as 'confusing fall warblers'. A happy exception to this rule is the Black-throated Blue Warbler. It's always a pleasant surprise to find one of these handsome sprites flitting through the autumn woodland, looking as fresh and bright as May. Black-throated Blues nest in the understory, and are often found near the ground. This individual is foraging along a latticework of poison ivy vines that cling to one of Princeton's many stone walls."
Black-throated Blue Warbler has been published from an original watercolor in a limited edition of 300. Produced on 100% rag, acid-free paper, each print has been inspected, numbered and signed by the artist. Barry, a member of Princeton's Cultural Council, has donated this print so that the profits will support other cultural activities in Princeton.
"Learning is a life-long process. I feel that if you've stopped learning, you've stopped living! At this point in my life, learning goes on in a number of ways. In my professional work as an illustrator, I work closely with experts in various fields. This accelerates learning, and I especially enjoy projects that lead me into new or unfamiliar areas. I often attend lectures and workshops that help to expand my knowledge. On a more personal level, much of the learning I now experience comes from direct contact with nature. I never go into the field without binoculars and a sketchbook, and I do alot of sketching and painting from firsthand observation. In addition, I often jot down information in my sketchbooks on things like habitat, animal behavior, color, effects of light and weather, sounds and smells. When I return to my studio, I reinforce what I've learned by consulting my library and reference files. It's very much a building process. Certainly, the most important thing to bring along the learning process is a sense of wonder and an open and inquiring mind."