Hallo,
My name is Lara Strazdas. Welcome to my website. I am a wildlife/nature conservation artist, but I also do pet portraits, illustrations and cover art, and art technique instructor. I am a self-taught artist and a passionate observer of Nature.
My two greatest passions in life have always been animals and art. I combine these two passions to create life-like wildlife and pet portraits. My style is realism, but each work of art is done in my unique style and with a passion and knowledge of my subject. I don’t just copy a photograph. I strive to capture the essence and spirit of my subject, whether it be a wild animal or your beloved pet. I work in several mediums on a variety of surfaces. (Please see the About My Artwork page for more details).
I am self-taught. I have learned animal anatomy through education and spending much of my life observing wildlife and having pets all my life. I went to university with the intent to become a veterinarian specializing in wildlife care. I took several courses in anatomy and physiology, biology, ecology, and zoology. I have had years of job experience and training working for veterinarians, on ranches, the Oregon State University School of Veterinary Medicine, and wildlife rehab centers and animal parks.
I enjoy sharing the art techniques I have learned over the years and I hope to help encourage the creative spark in others that want to learn how to improve their skills, learn a new medium, or just need an excuse to fine time in their life to create.
I am a native Oregonian, living in the lovely historic town of Jacksonville, Oregon in the beautiful Rogue Valley. Oregon has so much to offer a wildlife and nature artist! I am very fortunate to live in such a Nature rich area with forests, oceans, mountains, wetlands, temperate rainforests, and deserts, even a National Park, all within a few hours drive or right outside my door. I am never at a loss for inspiration! However, I do have a bucket list of places in the world I want to travel to and experience the different ecosystems and life that our world has to offer. And of course, express and share those experiences and wonder through my artwork.
I hope you enjoy my artwork as much as I enjoy creating it.
Cheers! Lara