Genesee Country Village & Museum
Mumford, NY
716-538-6822
http://www.gcv.org
Naturally Drawn
During the Summer
of 2000, opening August 12 and continuing through October 15, 2000,The John
L. Wehle Gallery of Sporting Art, which contains one of the largest collections
of sporting and wildlife art in North America, presents Naturally Drawn.
Sixty sketches -- in watercolor, pastel and other media
-- were selected for this exhibition from among more than 350 in the permanent
collection of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin.
Included are the works of Leo E. Osborne, Arthur B. Singer, Chris Bacon,
Larry Barth and Don Eckelberry.
While wildlife artists must pay close attention to habitat
and environment, their sketches help capture the personality of their subjects.
The works in Naturally Drawn reflect the raw energy and creativity
that exist at the beginning of every work of art. A sketch is personal reaction
to what the artist is seeing, feeling and hearing in the field.
A number of the works in Naturally Drawn are pages
torn from sketchbooks, which include the artist's field notes.
Wading
Egrets is a preliminary sketch of a common egret
used later by Andrea Rich for a woodcut. The drawing - when completed -
is reversed and transferred to a wood block. Once transferred, the appropriate
areas are carved out to create the design. Tracing paper makes the transfer
easier for the artist. Rich's sketches are rarely detailed; the textures
and intricacies are carved directly into the wood. Felt-tipped pens are
used to gain an accurate idea of texture and color. (left: Andrea
Rich (b. 1954), Wading Egrets, c. 1989, Felt-tipped pen and ink on
tracing paper, 6 5/8 x 7 7/8 inches)
A
comparison of these two study sketches of the American avocet highlights
how valuable field studies can be. These drawings are accurate recordings
of what was seen and experienced by Dave Sellers. The pencil sketch focuses
on the beauty of the bird while the colored sketch concentrates on the mood
of the surroundings. (left: Dave Sellers (b. 1962), Study for
Resting Avocet at Moss Landing, January 1989, Pencil and acrylic on
gessoed paperboard and pencil on paper, 5 x 17 1/2; 3 1/8 x 8 1/4 inches)
Thomas
Quinn was able to take advantage of the untimely death of a five-day-old
wood duck to execute this reference sketch. Working in watercolor enabled
him to match the feather colors exactly. This type of reference material
will prove valuable at a later time when a specimen might not be available
for a color check. (left: Thomas Quinn (b. 1938), Young Wood Duck,
June 1987, Gouache on prepared board, 121/2 x 81/2 inches)
This sketchbook page (see left) demonstrates two types
of field sketches: quick, fragmented pencil drawings, and a more refined
and complete color-pencil drawing. The latter enables John Perry Baumlin
to 
record
accurate bird coloration while the colors are still fresh in his mind. (left:
John Perry Baumlin (b. 1956), Black-tkroated Green Warbler, May
11, 1986, Pencil and color pencil on Omni paper, 8 1/2 x 11 inches)
Specializing in sporting and wildlife art, the Gallery
offers a wide range of commentary on natural history presented through the
work of hundreds of internationally recognized artists and sculptors. Included
are hundreds of paintings and sculptures portraying sport hunting and wildlife
subjects, as well as a special collection of art and artifacts depicting
life in the American Southwest.
Inside the Gallery visitors may explore the manner in which
artists of four centuries have portrayed man as the hunter, master, companion,
protector, and scientific observer of the birds and animals with which he
shares the earth. In addition to the current special exhibits, the visitor
may divide his or her time among eight principal galleries, exploring the
broad range of styles, settings, and artistic traditions.
Read more about the Genesee
Country Village & Museum in Resource
Library Magazine
Please click on thumbnail images bordered by a red line
to see enlargements.
This page was originally published in Resource
Library Magazine. Please see Resource Library's Overview section for
more information. rev. 3/23/11
Search Resource
Library for thousands of articles and essays on American art.
Copyright 2011 Traditional Fine Arts Organization, Inc., an Arizona nonprofit corporation. All rights
reserved.
Wading
Egrets is a preliminary sketch of a common egret
used later by Andrea Rich for a woodcut. The drawing - when completed -
is reversed and transferred to a wood block. Once transferred, the appropriate
areas are carved out to create the design. Tracing paper makes the transfer
easier for the artist. Rich's sketches are rarely detailed; the textures
and intricacies are carved directly into the wood. Felt-tipped pens are
used to gain an accurate idea of texture and color. (left: Andrea
Rich (b. 1954), Wading Egrets, c. 1989, Felt-tipped pen and ink on
tracing paper, 6 5/8 x 7 7/8 inches)
