In the studio with artist, photographer and instructor Robert Louis Caldwell

Just in time for the Waterfowl Festival I am releasing two new limited edition giclee prints. The release date is November 11, 2008 but you can pre-order now. RL Caldwell Studio proudly announces the limited-edition giclee print release of “Behind the Shed ( White-breasted Nuthatch) .” Printed from the original painting on 100% cotton, fine-art paper; Tru Giclee® certified. Image size: 10” x 18” Edition size: 75 Artist proofs: 5 Signed and numbered $76 (framed and matted, $275) Presale orders take 10% off* *Orders must be made before November 11, 2008. RL Caldwell Studio proudly announces the limited-edition giclee print release of “September Leaves (Tufted Titmouse) .” Printed from the original painting on 100% cotton, fine-art paper; Tru Giclee® certified. Image size: 12” x 7” Edition size: 75 Artist proofs: 5 Signed and numbered $52 (framed and matted, $245) Presale orders take 10% off* *Orders must be made before November 11, 2008.

Last Wednesday, October 15, I had the honor of exhibiting my work at the Walter L. Rice Education Building dedication ceremony. First off, the building is amazing -- the design of the building is beautiful and after I learned about all the sustainable features of the building, well, I was astonished. The building was constructed with a goal of achieving the highest sustainability rating possible, LEED platinum, and incorporates such features as geothermal heating and cooling, solar electrical power generation and advanced water recycling. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. There is a lot that goes into the LEED certification credit categories so I won't try to cover them here. For more information about LEED, visit the U.S Green Building Council at http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19 . I knew that Mrs. Inger Rice had donated the 342 acres along the James River to Virginia Commonwealth University, but I had no idea all of the other work th...

Here is the latest completed piece from the drafting table. This piece was about 90 percent completed for the Walter L. Rice Education Building dedication last Wednesday. I brought it back to the studio and took it out of the frame and completed the roughly two remaining hours of work that it required. "Heading Out (Eastern Box Turtle) " Graphite Pencil, 5 x 9 During fieldwork with VCU Rice Center and Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries researchers, I captured reference material for this drawing of an Eastern Box Turtle. In spring 2008, VCU Rice Center and DGIF researchers began work on developing an effective way to release captive-borne, young Eastern Box Turtles and restore them to the habitat at the Rice center. I volunteered during one trip focused on tracking the movement of the turtles and monitoring their health status. Box Turtles are the most common terrestrial turtle in the eastern U.S. However, their populations may be declining across their range. Ma...

This morning I was pleasantly surprised to see in the Richmond Times Dispatch an article of interest. Well... I was at least surprised to the point that I didn't know when it was going to come out. You can read the article on line at http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/search.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-10-13-0094.html or if your local on page B6.

Art at the Mill Art show and Sale Burwell-Morgan Mill, Millwood, Virginia October 4 - 19, 2008 Sunday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please join me at the show tomorrow Sunday October 12 for the artist reception, where I will also be doing a drawing demo. The artist reception is from 2 - 5 pm and I will be doing the drawing demo from noon to 4pm. This is another unique venue for an art show and it is located in some of the most beautiful country that virginia has to offer. Plenty of farms, old towns, and wineries. Hope to see you at the show. (Map of Millwood, VA) for more information about the show or the mill please visit http://www.clarkehistory.org/artatthemill.htm

Well the piece is not finished but it already has a title, "Reeds at Rice." With the building dedication coming up quickly I don't think that this piece will be finished in time but it may be far enough along so that I can bring it with me. The image below shows the progress completed up to noon on Friday. I will now need to break from the painting and get the box turtle drawing started and have that well on its way for my drawing demo this weekend at the "Art at the Mill" show at the Burwell-Morgan Mill in Millwood, Virginia. The drawing should be completed by Monday so that I can frame it and have it ready for the dedication on Wednesday.

I have been graciously asked to have my work exhibited at the Virginia Commonwealth University's Inger and Walter Rice Center's Education building dedication ceremony. The Inger and Walter Rice Center for Environmental Life Sciences is Virginia Commonwealth University’s field station devoted to a broad array of environmental research, teaching and public service. Located on 342 acres along the historic James River, midway between Richmond and Williamsburg, the Rice Center is rich in natural and cultural resources. The center has a variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats that provide many research and educational opportunities. I have had the privilege of being invited out to the center on several occasions where I have participated in gathering research and reference materials for a number of pieces that have come out of my studio. One piece notably "Out of the Darkness (Saw-whet Owl)" was a direct result of catching these little owls out at the Rice center. There...