This hummingbird painting has been nominated a finalist in the World Birds category of the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year 2009 competition !!!! The competition is believed to have attracted over 700 entries, out of which 122 paintings have been shortlisted amongst 14 different categories. Now, i got to send the original painting for the final round of judging at Hampshire, England. Each category will have just one winner and their artwork will be displayed at the annual exhibition of the Marwell International Wildlife Art Society.

In a new endeavour, Felis Creations is collaborating with the Gorgas Science Foundation to bring out a coffee-table book “Hummingbirds of the World” . This project has had a long history, but now is finally taking shape and coming to fruition. I have been involved in this project over the last year and am happy to be able to pursue my passion as a Wildlife illustrator.

With about 329 species of Hummingbird species spread across the New world, the book has been divided into 2 volumes. The first Volume comprising hummingbirds of North America, Mexico, Central America and the Carribean, is intended to be finished by fall of 2010. And Volume 2 which would comprise the hummingbirds of South America, is proposed to be finished by the fall of 2012.

The project is incorporating more artists from around the world – Raul Andrade and Vydhehi Kadur , have recently been incorporated. One of the biggest road blocks that this project faced was the lack of a researcher and now we have finally found a research person, Vinita Gowda, from the Smithsonian University, who is working on her PhD on hummingbirds and heliconias. Soon after defending her dissertation she will be fully on board working on research elements to provide to the artists to continue their work accurately.

~ Sangeetha Kadur