Michelle, one of our most avid class-attenders as well as a fabulous artist and instructor, had a piece hanging in the still-life corridor. We browsed the paintings - ignoring the wine, punch, cheese and snacks since we were terribly full from dinner...
We then settled in to listen to a lecture on horse anatomy - several of our number are avid riders and painters of horses. I recently got an assignment that entails accurate horse anatomy, and I realized that I have never really delved into it as an adult... I'm still kind of depending on my "How to Draw Horses" books from my childhood - so this was very opportune -
We had a couple of guest lecturers, but the real star of the evening was 'Norman', the fully articulated, actual horse skeleton that the Gage has recently acquired. It really was amazing to see in its full-scale, 3-D glory.
Gudrun, another instructor and horse artist from our group, got rather 'hands on'(well, lips, really) with the skeleton. Much as she does with her own horses at home.
It was great *really* getting into my head how horse anatomy mirrors human anatomy - those backwards-bending, huge hocks are really the calcaneus (heel) bones! and the rest of the lower leg corresponds with feet bones. Ha! All of the sudden all of the articulations finally! made sense.
So, just another great evening of food, art and bones!
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13 comments:
This was fun to read and you know me: food (esp chocolate), art (all) and bones (fish mostly but deer and bird, too) are three of my favourite things! :)
That's amazing! I love the pics. I never really imagined how intricate a horse is. Sounds like an interesting lecture to go to.
I saw your comment in my in-box and came straight here!
Great photos! I never had a horse, so 'hopped aboard' whenever I had the chance as a kid;usually bare-back on a pony. But I had shelves of horse-y paraphenalia, including a veterinary book.Whenever I see a properly- drawn horse, I think of Stubbs.
What great pics! I am always a bit flummoxed when my work calls for a horse. It's so hard to get the gait right, if, like me, your horsey acquaintance is not very extensive.
Very good solution, having a decent dinner first and then nourish the spirit. ;-)
The lecture you visited reminded me that Bill Gates bought the Codex Leicester. Leonardo da Vinci has produced illustrated notebooks about the anatomy and physiology of the horse. I wonder if Gates has made these notebooks available to be shown somewhere in Seattle.
Art, food, friends.... what else would a gal need to have a great weekend :-)
Hee hee!
It looks like you girls had fun!
Thanks for your good luck comment, it worked...I sold a set of cards!!! Yipeee!
I'm also off to bed, at....wait for it...9.50pm!
Have a great Monday!
Erica
xxx
ooh aahh! think I'll stick with the outside versions!
and wishing you better weather too.
sounds like great fun...blessings, rebecca
Oh boy, another skeleton! I needed one of these in art school. What's really needed in any art school is a class devoted to drawing only animals. One of my favorite animal drawing books is Ken Hultgren's "The Art of Animal Drawing."
Hi Tara:
My comment is out of context but I read your comment on Corey's blog and came to see you. I LOVE "Knot of Toads" and the ash girl. Although your style is totally your own I felt like I do when I look at anything Tasha Tudor illustrates. She is my favorite until I see your toads and chipmunks!!! You are wonderful!!!
I have never seen a horse right to it's bare bones..kind of creepy if one is not studying it for a reason such as sketching. I am sure you got a lot from this evening and a thrill to be around your peers...such a creative bunch I am sure.hugs NG
How cool and inspirational. Looks like an interesting night of laughter and learning.
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