Artistry in Motion

Artist Dolores R. Santoliquido of Brookfield, Connecticut, refuses to be pigeonholed. Although she paints a multitude of subjects she is natural science-oriented, she says. Not to be pinpointed, she favors a mixed media method of acrylic and colored pencil.

“I basically arrived on the planet doing art. I started out as a stone carver. When I graduated from college I needed to make money so I became a graphic artist for Chanticleer Press. I begged to do some drawing for their field guides. That gave me an inside into the world of illustration." Her first book was “Wildlife of the Forest" in 1979. She eventually illustrated the entire wildlife series.

In Ms. Santoliquido's 32 years of working as an artist, she has gained a litany of credits: Audubon field guides, Readers Digest books, William Morrow books, collectible guides, a sewing book for Crowne Publishing with over 650 illustrations, science textbooks, Fine Gardening Magazine, cookbooks, How-Tos, magazines and advertising.

“Through my career I've done everything. If you only do one thing there's very little opportunity by doing just that one thing. It's exciting because I get to work with so many personalities, ideas, and subjects. That's a cool thing. It's hard to get bored with your job when you're working with so many different people and doing so many different things. And you learn things about everything. I once had a consultant send me a dead fish in formaldehyde."

Her art is on signage for Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Bronx Zoo, New York Botanical Garden...

“My art has brought me to places I never would have gone. It's just a path. I've reinvented myself at least six times since I started at the age of 17."

Ms. Santoliquido grows and paints quite a few orchids but does not want to be known as the orchid lady. “I love gardening, plants and animals. I guess the versatility thing keeps me from being pigeonholed."

Ms. Santoliquido teaches art at Manhattanville College and The New York Botanical Garden. She is a member of the American Society of Botanical Artists, vice president of the international group of Guild of Natural Science Illustrators.

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published December 08, 2004