Last Week to Check Out Township Library Art Exhibit

Robert Todd has his artwork on display at the Washington Township library throughout January.

Todd began his interest in art around age 12. He said he's always wanted to be an artist.

"If I had to work for a living I don’t know what I would have done," Todd said. "Even as a kid I knew that if I had to make a living I would want to enjoy it or I wouldn’t want to be doing it and that’s why I paint."

His medium of choice is watercolor. Todd likes to paint wildlife portraits.

"I enjoy wildlife for the most part, I always have," he said. "I simply paint what I enjoy. I'm not an abstractist, I'm a realist."

Todd said a lot of people have talent as artists, but many don't pursue it as a career.

"I enjoy the challenge of watercolors, it's demanding," he said.

When painting watercolors, you only have one chance. However the painting comes out the first time is the way it's going to stay.

"An oil painting you can let it dry and repaint it," Todd said. "You can't do that with watercolors."

The Township Library has approximately one dozen watercolor pieces by Todd. They're all original calendar wildlife art. A few of the pieces also have the actual calendar on display underneath the watercolor piece.

"Most of the time people don’t get to see the actual calendar, they only see the reproduction of the piece," Todd said.

Check out at the , 144 Woodfield Rd.