Fine Art
In November 2023 I had the incredible opportunity to take The Ultimate Anatomy Workshop for Artists given by New Masters Academy NMA just outside of Santa Fe. This was so important for me because it is my desire to get classical training as the Masters were trained. Learning human anatomy as it pertains to art whether applied to 3-D or 2-D form only enhances the accuracy of form. You do not see what you are not looking for. Learning anatomy teaches you to see form in a new way. Knowing how the skeleton articulates and where and how muscles attach even if not seen on the surface still create the form. It also teaches you when certain muscles are more prominent based on the action they are creating and when not to show them. Figures become more realistic. Instead of limbs looking like they are made of rubber you see that there is actually a skeleton creating the structure. Not to say an artist cannot render a beautiful likeness from life or even photo reference, this just gives a deeper understanding of the form to be able to see when something is not quite right in the rendering. Shown are some images from the workshop of some of the incredible instructors, the process, and my sculpture, side by side to the reference. It is a work in progress.
What is even more exciting for me is this has opened up a whole new realm of creativity. I have done wire sculpture, felting sculpture and even worked with the natural clay on our property but this was the first time I worked with plasticine clay to create a classical figure. The plasticine clay remains workable yet can still be cast if so desired. This gave me the idea to sculpt my horse that I lost 2 years ago. I have a painting in mind that I want to do but was unable to find adequate reference photos. If I could recreate him from my minds eye, then it could become my reference for the painting. It would allow me to manipulate him into the position I felt was most pleasing and I could control the lighting. I have owned horses most of my life so I am very familiar with their anatomy. However, there is still a likeness to capture and thankfully I have many photos of Drago to work from. There is a story of his passing and the painting will tell this story. I show my process from building the armature to the stage you see now. I am really happy with the results and I am currently looking into having it cast since it has such meaning for me. It’s titled “Spirited” because not only was he spirited in life but this depicts the moment he became a spirit.
What started out as an exercise in human anatomy and always looking to create from what’s at hand my latest piece began life as a lump of clay from our property. I molded this clay into a 1” skull. The teeth were carved then painted with gesso and pumice. I burnished it with a stone then fired it in our fireplace inside a tin can. To my amazement the skull took on the appearance of old bone. I rubbed it with candle wax, then drew in fissure lines and anatomical details with pastel pencils.
1.5 h" x 1 d" x 1 w"
Original
Wild
6 h" x 3 d" x 3 w"
Original
6 h" x 6 d" x 16 w"
Original
This sculpture depicts the moment a foal stands on wobbly legs and it’s Mothers eagerness to sniff and discover her new baby. She is caught in the moment of rising while reaching with her nose to breath in its essence.
27 h" x 17 d" x 16 w"
Original
Created from weathered wood, choyia cactus wood, barbed wire from 1949 and baling wire. It’s a statement about the affects of barbed wire closing in on range land.
My wire sculptures capture in 3 dimension a feeling and or image in my minds eye and are truly one of a kind. They cannot be reproduced so each piece is unique. They are created by bending and twisting a strand of baling wire to form the anatomy or structure of what I see in my mind. I do not use any references other than what I visualize. In a technique I call Singulo Filo (single line) I do not create a single piece but rather a scene. From the unbroken strand the scene is loosely created flowing from one element to the next in a less is more attempt.
25 h" x 21 d" x 26 w"
Original
In this piece titled On Silver Pond the strand starts at the base of the horses tail. The anatomy is built up until the wire coils form the horses muzzle which is touching the surface of the pond. The disturbance on the waters surface by the muzzle creates ripples on the pond. These ripples of wire extend outward until they reach the edge of the pond and form the roots of the tree which delicately twists and turns hovering over the pond and horse ending with a single leaf at the top. The base is layered mahogany, aluminum, and copper that has been chemically treated to create the green patina of old copper. The aluminum depicts the water, the copper the grass and soil all supported by the mahogany base.
A moment of tranquility is captured by using the material that binds my horses sustenance.
8 tall"
Original
Inspired, I decided to make the whole skeleton with as much detail as possible. I learned by trial and error that some anatomy had to be carved from more durable materials so the end result is a mixed media sculpture of clay, wood putty and different gauges of wire. It stands 8” tall and has jointed limbs that can be posed.
(Shown on toy motorcycle which can be purchased with the skeleton sculpture.)
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