Call of the Wild: The Nature Art of NH Painter Rosemary Conroy

A Different Insight: Great Horned Owl Acrylic on panel 24" x 12”, $724 (includes frame)

There were no shortcuts on the artistic journey for Rosemary Conroy of Weare. She skipped art school on the advice of her parents who said “prepare for a real job.” But after years in the corporate world, first in New York City at the World Trade Center, she was ready to make changes.

Conroy had ironically discovered birding while in New York. Central Park is a haven for a vast spectrum of birds and seeing a dozen species in one tree was typical. The first change was going back to school to become a naturalist.

After 10 years at the Society for the Protection of  New Hampshire Forests in Concord and the crushing reality of 9/11, Conroy says a switch was flipped: “Someday needs to be now.” 

Now Conroy lavishes acrylic paint with brush and palette knife in a playful and almost abstract expressionistic manner. Her animals are alive with color and soul. Their eyes, expertly rendered, peer into yours in a knowing manner.

She has known them too, meeting birds and bears at local or distant sanctuaries. “I  appreciate them for the individuals they are, making a living out in the world,” she says. 

Conroy has been invited to national shows and currently is exhibiting at The Fells’ “Animals of the Fells” exhibit in Newbury through October 14. Her annual open house is scheduled for October 19 and 20. Prices range from $500 to $800 and commissions are accepted. Limited edition prints are available too.