Ram (pronounced "Rom") Papish skillfully draws upon his experiences as a biologist and birder to produce beautiful and accurate wildlife paintings. His passion for birds has manifested itself in multiple disciplines, and Ram has often found himself at a loss to name his profession: artist, biologist, tour guide, or teacher? Finally, he settled on an appropriate term: Professional Bird Enthusiast. He now concentrates his efforts on artwork.

Ram's enthusiasm for studying a variety of avian species has taken him on field biologist positions all over the Western Hemisphere from Panama to Puerto Rico, Florida Bay to Texas, Jamaica to the outer islands of Hawaii. For Ram, each new job was like being born again-becoming attuned to a previously unknown ecosystem. He closely observed, sketched, and photographed the flora and fauna of each new habitat to allow him to accurately capture it in paint when he returned to his studio.

Ram has been continuously drawn to coastal Alaska. Over five field seasons, he studied the colonial nesting seabirds on several remote islands. During his many hours closely observing and handling the seabirds, he developed a close connection with them. This tie is evident in his paintings; he clearly grasps the nuances of the anatomy and behavior of the species he studies.

Ram's art career started early. At 15 he began working at a public relations firm doing illustrations for brochures and advertisements. At 16 he had a painting hung in the US Capitol building. Over the years he has been influenced by the art of Larry McQueen, Lars Johnson, and Bob Kuhn.

Most of Ram's work features a detailed, realistic style in watercolor, acrylic, pen & ink, or mixed media. He is perhaps best known for his complex designs, featuring a wide variety of plants and animals (and for his many pairs of painted pants).

His styles, however, range from scientifically exact field guide plates to simple cartoon line drawings to unique fine art interpretations. While Ram has been working as an illustrator for years, 2003 marks the release of his first fine art prints.

Although Ram has lived at many field stations, he considers Oregon his home. He graduated from University of Oregon in 1995 with a degree in art and biology. He now lives on the coast in Newport, OR. Ram can be reached at ram@rampapish.com.