Spring 2024 Featured Artist Lindsay Sandbothe

Animals have always been my favorite subject for creating art. They are all so incredible – the way they look, behave, and adapt to their environments. As a painter, I enjoy the challenge and variety of capturing all of their different shapes, colors, and textures. I find this is exaggerated even more in birds, which have been a focus of my work for the past several years.

Between birds and other animals, I am “collecting” as many species as I can for my portfolio. As part of my process, I take my camera into the field (or in many cases, the zoo!) to observe the animal in its habitat. By using my own reference photos I can accurately depict what I witnessed as far as appearance and behavior, but also form a more personal connection that inspires my paintings.

My most recent body of work has taken on a more expressive quality as I combine my love of nature with the pure joy of painting. I am exploring ways to build colorful environments around natural subjects using thick and loose applications of paint.

Larger canvases are providing an opportunity for me to physically engage with the painting – with the animals becoming life-size or even larger-than-life. These new works serve not only as realistic depictions of the animal-subjects, but also a reminder to myself, and hopefully the viewer, of the positive emotions they can inspire in us.

Lindsay Sandbothe

Lindsay Sandbothe is a nature artist based in Highland, IN that specializes in bird and animal portraiture. She received BFAs in Art Education and Art History from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 2005. Professionally, Lindsay balances a career in higher education and education coordination with being a working artist. In addition to freelance and commissions, she enjoys teaching art classes and workshops with The Morton Arboretum, Chicago-area artist groups, or out of her home studio.