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The Brampton Guardian
Artist connects with wildlife
The Brampton Guardian
Friday July 18 2008
By Ashley Goodfellow, Staff Writer
Brampton artist Paul Highgate with some of his wildlife art. Samples of his work are on display at Visual Arts Brampton’s Fin, Fur and Feather exhibit at Shopper’s World Brampton.
 
BRAMPTON - There’s a connection people make with art— and in portraying the likeness of animals, Paul Highgate feels that comes through the eyes.
The Brampton based wildlife artist, who specializes in black and white, said before he puts his art to the public, he has to make that connection himself.
“I like to get the eyes,” he said of his process. “If the eyes don’t grab you, you’ve missed it. You know when you connect with something.”
His recent works in black and white scratchboard depict the marriage of his passion for nature and art; but Highgate is modest about his talent.
“I want to depict the animal as realistically as possible, and try bring to out that 3-D feel,” he said. “With each one I’m doing, I’m getting closer to that effect.”
Working in black and white scratchboard, however, presents some challenges— you can’t just cover up your mistakes, he said. “It’s not too forgiving,” he joked. But get it just right, he said, and it gives the illusion of dimension.
Keith Moreau, president of  Visual Arts Brampton, said Highgate’s talent— particularly in scratchboard— is exceptional.
“Paul’s stuff is just exquisite,” he said. “I totally admire the way he works.”
In 2005, Highgate was awarded first place at the Brampton Fall Fair for his Raccoon piece.
Currently, Highgate is working an 18-inch by 24-inch elephant.
Although his focus has been on black and white wildlife, the artist said he has “other ideas” he’d like to pursue at some point. Something he thinks he might attempt next is adding coloured Indian ink to black and white scratchboard.
“As long as there is progress, and I learn each time, it’s good,” he said.
Highgate said he’s always felt a pull toward his creative side, and in college he studied technical and scientific illustration. His work after college led to him to his current career in IT, but he hopes to one day pursue art on a full-time, professional basis.
Samples of Highgate’s work are on display at Visual Arts Brampton’s Fin, Fur and Feather exhibit at Shopper’s World.