Anne Peyton’s 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, accurately depicting all types of racing vehicles that drew the attention of drivers, sponsors and enthusiasts alike.

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 and racing cars may seem to be on the opposite end of the spectrum, but in truth there is a lot of similarity. Both can be brilliantly colored or purposefully drab. Both are technically difficult. The artist must be able to capture and represent the proper attitude of a car at speed or a bird in its natural setting. If you’re not correct, there is always someone – a racer or another birder – who will correct you.”

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 Signature Member of the Society of Animal Artists since 2000; a member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society since 2001 and was honored with Signature Artist's Guild status in 2004; a Signature member of the Artists for Conservation since 2005; an associate member of the National Society of Painters in Casein and Acrylics since 2005; and a Signature member in the American Academy of Women Artists in 2006 and named a board member of the AAWA in 2007.

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.

For a complete listing of Anne’s shows and societies to which she belongs, Click Here.