Carl Brenders' love for all creatures, from the friendly to the ferocious, is evident in his attention to their every detail; nothing is overlooked. With his imagination, Brenders is able to get close enough to wild animals so that he can almost feel their textures. Consequently, his work has a tactile reality, giving us the sense of having been where even the most intrepid of field guides have not ventured. Of this ability Brenders says, "A painter is a privileged being, because in his imagination he can come very close to the animals he paints. In reality, one can never come this close to wild animals, particularly if they are predators."

Brenders' insistence on anatomical perfection in his paintings stems from his philosophy...