Sandy Scott Art

#180 In the studio: Creatures in motion con't . . .

2012-03-07T05:11:00.004-07:00

The sculptor must understand locomotive anatomy:

How the animal's body works, how the muscles stretch and bunch

and how and if the creature bends.

The animal artist should know how and when to exaggerate.

Coyote Clipper
9"H 17"W 6"D

#179 In the studio: Creatures in motion con't . . .

2012-03-06T05:01:00.000-07:00

When designing a creature in motion, the sculptor must concentrate on gesture and action rather than detail.

Detail can arrest motion.

Goat Ringing a Bell

8"H 11"W 6"D

#178 In the studio: Creatures in motion con't . . .

2012-03-05T05:01:00.002-07:00

Painter Richard Schmid interpreted

Mallard Duet in conte and oils

The sculptor must be in search of the essence of motion and

form and understand how the creature's body works.

A work of art must not be something

that leaves the viewer unmoved . . .

something passed by with a casual glance.

It has to be moving, make the viewer react,

feel strongly, start creating too . . .

if only in the imagination.

- Gustav Klimt

Mallard Duet

23"H 30"W 16"D

#177 In the studio: Creatures in motion . . .

2012-03-04T05:06:00.003-07:00

All animals have their own variation of anatomy in motion.

The sculptor must be in search of what makes each creature special unto itself.

Motivated

16"H 19"L 8"D

#176 In the studio: Composition and design con't . . .

2012-03-03T04:54:00.002-07:00

This work was modeled from life in a single sitting, then tweaked and finished later in the studio.

Most sculptures that I do quickly retain the initial thought and freshness and are personal favorites.

This study of a Russian Wolfhound, or borzoi as it is also called, is no exception.

I chose a recumbent pose as I wanted the horizontal movement to suggest rest and calm.

I focused on the regal bearing of the elegant animal and depicted the dog crossing

its great front paws which is typical of large, long-legged breeds.

Russian Beauty 10"H 17"W 10"D

#175 Throw on another log: Art, beauty and nature . . .

2012-03-02T04:57:00.043-07:00

Anyone who knows how to perceive artistic beauty is in some sense an artist. Instinctively, we acquire the basics of beauty and good design from nature
and we have absorbed these gifts since childhood.

Every person alive needs beauty in their life; even those without the desire

or talent to create it. Art is how human beings create beauty and art is the

result of creation.

Art is not an imitation of nature: Almost everyone finds nature beautiful but

nature is not art. Art is surrounded by the artist's personal evaluation and

response to nature and great art has eternal and universal appeal.

To become truly immortal, a work of art must escape all human limits;

Logic and common sense will only interfere.

But once these barriers are broken,

it will enter the realms of childhood visions and dreams.

- Giorgio De Chirico

#174 In the studio: Composition and design con't . . .

2012-03-01T05:07:00.002-07:00

In sculpture the subject represented is the positive shape.
The empty space around the subject is the negative shape.

The viewer usually does not think about or consider the space around
the sculpture. The sculptor, however, is constantly aware of both
positive and negative shapes as they are a device for designing and
organizing the sculpture.

Sculpture is the study of a thousand silhouettes.

- Rodin

Height of Land (Common Loon), 12"H 23"W 15"D

#173 In the studio: Composition and design con't . . .

2012-02-29T04:57:00.016-07:00

The strongest compositions and designs are those where the main idea is comprehended in a single glance.

Buffalo Fragment IV

22"H 24"W 4"D

#172 In the studio: Composition and design con't . . .

2012-02-27T05:37:00.009-07:00

The position of the center of interest depends upon the feeling of balance

created by the distribution of the different elements in the composition.

Buffalo Fragment III
22"H 24"W 4"D

#171 In the studio: Composition and design con't . . .

2012-02-26T04:59:00.014-07:00

The dominant element in a composition can be part of a single figure.

There should be as few secondary elements as possible

and these should be arranged to support the main interest.
Typically, the head and eyes are the main interest in a composition with a single figure.

Red-tailed Hawk Alert

20"H 13"W 15"D

#170 In the studio: Composition and design

2012-02-25T05:21:00.004-07:00

Basic principles of composition and design apply to both sculpture and painting.

Composition is a harmonious arrangement of elements, one of which dominates others in interest.

The dominant element becomes the focal point or center of interest.

Harbinger of Spring

12"H 7"W 5"D

#169 In the field: At the Autry con't . . .

2012-02-24T05:11:00.004-07:00

Ice craving of quail presentation sculpture

Friend and Collector Lynn Friess with Howard Terpning's
Traders Among the Crow

Museum shows such as Autry Museum's Masters of the American West have played an important role in the resurgent interest in representational art. Quality, originality and healthy competition among the artists has been the result and astute collectors and museums recognize it. theautry.org/

Fire and ice: Patina being applied to Sandy's California Roost, presentation piece for the museum's trustees

#168 In the field: At the Autry

2012-02-23T05:03:00.031-07:00

Friends and collectors
Saralynn Geraghty, Peggy & Bob Dunn

Earlier this month we attended the Autry Museum's Masters of Western Art Show
in Los Angeles. The prestigious show is a coveted invitation and I always introduce new work at the gala event.

The night before the opening, the museum hosts a fun-filled artist party and a few artists are singled out to be given wonderful gifts such as complimentary advertising in art publications, framing services, exotic and unique trips, etc.

I was honored and thrilled to be one of the recipients:
A stunning silver and turquoise necklace designed by Fredrico Jimanez was presented to me by the museum. I will always cherish the gift, memories of the evening and the Autry family. theautry.org/

"The necklace" with my dear friend John Geraghty . . .
Autry Museum Trustee and Special Advisor

#167 In the studio: Feathers con't. . .

2012-02-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

A bird's wrist joint - where and how it articulates - presents a strong and meaningful sculptural statement.

The skeleton of the bird's wing is more easily understood when compared to the human arm: see Blog #143, Jan 2012

Detail - Harbinger of Light
13"H 20"W 16"D

#166 In the studio: Fur con't . . .

2012-02-20T05:01:00.003-07:00

Fur and hair patterns must be modeled as shapes and mass with the

underlying skeleton dictating breaks in form where joints articulate.

Tailhook
19"H 36"W 18"D

#165 In the studio: Fur and feathers con't . . .

2012-02-19T05:11:00.007-07:00

When I model furry, fuzzy or feather-covered critters, I always look for places to present hard edges or closely modeled detail. Typically this is in the head area, the nose, the beak, feet or the bony break of the wrist in a bird's wing.

Left: detail - Golden Morning

Right: detail - clay model of pheasant still-life
See Blogs #134, 135, 136: January 2012

#164 In the studio: Fur and feathers . . .

2012-02-18T05:44:00.003-07:00

There are similar considerations when modeling an animal covered with fur or a bird covered with feathers:
The sculptor must make the viewer sense the structure and anatomy of the creature under all the cover.
Bony waypoints must be identified and sometimes exaggerated and shapes must be simple, strong and clear.

Recumbent Hare
9"H 14"W 10"D

#163 In the studio: Lop eared rabbit

2012-02-17T05:07:00.000-07:00

A gallery that represents me has a client who wants a sculpture of a lop eared rabbit. Although I don't have a model, I'm having fun with the subject.

While researching lop eared rabbits on the computer,
I discovered that they are hopelessly cute. Rarely am I inspired by "cute" subjects but I couldn't resist this request: It's about the ears and I love to model rabbits.

Below is a quick, preliminary block-in of the little critter.

#162 In the field: Sedona birds and wildlife con't . . .

2012-02-15T05:08:00.001-07:00

Winter along Oak Creek south of Sedona

Oak Creek flows through a spectacular canyon and is buffered by lush forest north of Sedona and massive cottonwoods to the south. Trish and I are both avid fishing enthusiasts and when in Sedona, we are headquartered on the beautiful stream, within casting distance of winter trout fishing. Rainbows and Brown Trout can be caught on dry flies or spinners.

The decorative sculpture shown below was patinaed with natural chemicals and dyes. After cooling, I hand-painted the spots.

Everything in nature invites us constantly to be what we are.

- Gretel Eurlich

Functional art: Creel Hook by Sandy Scott
11"H 9"W 4"D

#161 In the field: Sedona birds and wildlife con't . . .

2012-02-14T05:16:00.001-07:00

The Verde Valley, Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon (scroll to Blog #158 & #159) is a hotspot for birders with over 340 species at various times of the year. As a bird artist, I'm in my element in the region.

Waterfowl, eagles, herons, hawks and hummingbirds to name a few . . . the list goes on and on. Last week I saw a magnificent bald eagle along Oak Creek.

The American Bald Eagle has been and remains a favorite subject and motif
for my art: both sculpture and etchings.

Recently installed - Noble Eagle, Spirit of America Monument - 22 ' wingspan
For more information click on August, 2011 - Blog #16

#160 In the field: Sedona birds and wildlife con't . . .

2012-02-13T05:33:00.005-07:00

The Sedona area is magic. The elevation changes from high desert at 3000 feet to cool pine at 8000 feet. The wildlife-rich riparian zones of Oak Creek offer a diverse paradise for wildlife, birds and wildlife artists.

Like most places, the presence of nocturnal creatures such as the raccoon is part of the life it nourishes.

The etching below was created in the late 70's and was wildly popular. I was pleasantly surprised that the edition of 100 sold out quickly. A few of the artist's proofs are still available.

Raccoon

Original etching by Sandy Scott

11 3/4 x 7 3/4

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#159 In the field: Sedona birds and wildlife con't . . .

2012-02-12T05:23:00.005-07:00

The Raven, renowned in Native American tribal lore as a trickster
and bird with a mischievous nature, is common along the Oak Creek trail (see yesterdays Blog) and is one of my favorite subjects.
The imposing, oily-black bird is larger than the crow, has a thicker bill and has a distinctive crocking call. The dramatic corvid can be identified in flight by its wedge-shaped tail.

When I'm on the trail, photographing, observing and gathering studio reference, I usually find a quiet place to sit and keep my eyes and ears open: I'm guaranteed to see something new and exciting.

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking 'Nevermore'.

-Edgar Allan Poe; The Raven

Ravenrock
18"H

#158 In the field: Sedona birds and wildlife

2012-02-11T06:08:00.019-07:00

While in residence in Sedona, mornings and evenings are spent on a secluded trail along beautiful Oak Creek. The trail splits
and while Trish takes the dogs for a romp across an open field,
I spend time stalking, observing, sketching and photographing birds and wildlife along the Oak Creek trail.

Oak Creek is part of the Verde Valley watershed and attracts over a third of the 900 plus species of birds in the United States. Wintering species includes waterfowl which is one of my favorite subjects for both sculpture and etchings.

Seeing birds and animals first-hand, in their environment and being there is vital to the wildlife artist.

Mallards Coming In
9 3/4 x 91/4
Original etching by SandyScott

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#157 In the field: Artist in residence

2012-02-10T05:53:00.004-07:00

Adele, Susan and Trish

Beautiful Sedona, Arizona is situated along Oak Creek and is surrounded by spectacular Red Rock Country. It is home to many artists, writers, galleries as well as art and nature lovers.

Although most of my time is spent working, I always find the time to enjoy the company of my artist friends who call Sedona home. Trish and I shared dinner with painters, Adele Earnshaw (a New Zealander and 35 year Sedona resident) and Susan Faust this week and as usual, the lively conversation revolved around art. Adele conducts workshops in New Zealand and you will love her Blog. adeleearnshaw.blogspot.com,

Sandy and Trish - Red Rock Country from restaurant window

Children, like animals, use all their senses

to discover the world.

Then artists come along and discover

it the same way all over again.

-Eudora Welty

"Arizona Sunrise" in clay was modeled last year while
artist in residence at Mountain Trails Gallery in Sedona

#156 In the field: Full Moon, Snow Moon

2012-02-08T05:33:00.005-07:00

February full moon close to Wickenburg, AZ

Full moon last night. Northerly Native American tribes called the February Moon the Snow Moon. Some tribes called it the Hunger Moon or Storm Moon when food could be scarce and the weather foul.

There is snow north of me and beyond but not where I am this month. Every year I spend several weeks in Arizona; attending art shows, teaching workshops, in the field and as artist in residence at the gallery that represents me in Sedona.

I headquarter in Sedona along beautiful Oak Creek and spent yesterday in the field - photographing and observing ducks and other birds. The highlight of the field trip occurred when a canvasback drake floated past me with the current accompanied by a widgeon hen and drake.

A diving duck with two dabbling ducks is an unusual sight here. Typically, divers like big water.

Canvasbacks Coming In 7 x 5
Backcover of Gray's Sporting Journal
Original etching by Sandy Scott

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#155 Remarque "Moose Fragment I"

2012-02-07T05:48:00.003-07:00

Power of the part: What can the sculpture do without?

Moose Fragment I (Ferric patina)
14"H 9"W 6"D

Moose Fragment I (Cupric patina)
14"H 9"W 6"D

#154 Remarque "Solitude Fragment I & II"

2012-02-06T06:05:00.003-07:00

The fragment or partial figure: Pursuit of essence.

Solitude Fragments I & II

11"H

#153 Remarque: "Old Red"

2012-02-05T05:54:00.008-07:00

This is a 5 x 7 oil painting of my rooster, "Old Red" who is no longer with us - a fox got him - but not before I painted
his portrait. It is being exhibited in the miniature section of the Autry Museum's Masters of the American West Show.

I approach painting as a drawing, using brush and pigment.

#152 Remarque: "Eclipse"

2012-02-04T05:58:00.006-07:00

Total eclipse of the moon Dec. 2011

Among all living thoroughbreds, over 95% can trace their direct bloodline back to the stallion, Eclipse. The story of the horse is fascinating: In 1730 the Bey of Tunis gave Louis XV eight Arabian stallions. The French king didn't realize the significance of the magnificent animals and sold them for next to nothing. An Englishman did; saw one of the horses pulling a water cart, bought it for next to nothing, and bred it to Spanish stock. Thirty-five years later - on the day of a total eclipse of the sun - the famous colt, Eclipse was born and the rest is history.

I have always been intrigued by the story of Eclipse and an idealized sculpture

of the horse has been an ongoing project in my studio for years. Ironically,

I completed the clay model on the night of a total eclipse of the moon.

See earlier Blogs #101, 102, 103 and 111 posted in Dec. 2011 for more information about the sculpture, Eclipse.

Eclipse
26"H 28"W 9"D

This work is one of five new sculptures being introduced at the

Autry Museum's Masters of the American West Show and Sale.

#151 Remarque - "California Roost"

2012-02-03T05:52:00.065-07:00

My goal while designing and modeling this quiet pose of the California Quail (also known as the Valley Quail) was clarity of silhouette and organization of positive and negative shapes.

Harmony and the simple placement of the figure in nature is evident as vision accepts the negative shape and thinks of it as a totally separate form. Sculpture is the arrangement of

shapes - both positive and negative.

Sculpture is the study of a thousand silhouettes.

- Rodin

This work is one of five new sculptures being introduced at the

Autry Museum's Masters of the American West Show and Sale.

California Roost

8"H 12"W 8"D

#150 Remarque - "California Sunrise"

2012-02-02T05:51:00.046-07:00

The California Quail, also known as the Valley Quail, is similar in size, shape and appearance to the Gambel's Quail but the two species have very little range overlap - the latter being more southerly.

Formal sparseness of design, the use of negative space and clarity of silhouette was my goal while modeling this sculpture: Negative space balances and supports the subject and gives visual activity to the composition. The arrangement of positive and negative shapes forms the design and creates a new dimension to the image. Painters use the elements of color, perspective, value and shape to create a composition . . . sculptors design with positive form and negative shapes.

Trish's definition of negative space: "Where the sculpture is not".

I couldn't have said it better myself.

This work is one of five new sculptures being introduced at the
Autry Museum's Masters of the American West Show and Sale.

California Sunrise
12"H 12"W 9"D (life-size)

#149 Remarque: "Lab Bookends"

2012-02-01T05:43:00.019-07:00

The Labrador Retriever, which comes in three colors: black, chocolate and yellow, has been the most popular dog in the United States, Great Britain, Australia and other countries since 1991. The breed is people loving and makes a popular pet.

The versatile lab was bred primarily to be a gun dog and can be used afield as a waterfowl retriever as well as a pointing dog. I've hunted often behind a lab and years ago owned a chocolate lab named Scoter. Most hunters, myself included, will tell you that much of the joy in the hunt comes from the dog.

Shown to the right is the silhouette of Lab Bookends clay model ready to mold. Note my Brittany, Penny, in the background.
This work is one of five new sculptures being introduced at the Autry Museum's Masters of the American West Show and Sale.

Lab Bookends

8"H 15"W 6"D

#148 In the field: galleries and shows . . . placing art

2012-01-31T09:19:00.054-07:00

I rely on my galleries and shows to sell and place my art. Please refer to blog #139, January 20, 2012 and
Blog #126, January 5, 2012 for more information.

The ad below was placed on the back cover of the current Jan/Feb issue of Art of the West magazine by the galleries that represent my work. The sculpture shown is one of five new works and one painting that will be introduced at the Autry Museum's Masters of the American West Art Show and Sale this weekend, February 3-4.

theAutry.org/

Art of the West Magazine - www.aotw.com

#147 In the studio: Shapes Con't

2012-01-29T06:19:00.009-07:00

There is no technique or trick that can be taught to explain how to create a good, strong shape.

The theory must be felt or sensed to be understood by both the viewer and the sculptor.

One looks with greater understanding at uncomplicated sculptural statements.

Power is gained through simplicity and simple shapes tell greater truths.

Life-sized bald eagle blocked in and in progress

#146 In the studio: Shape . . .

2012-01-28T09:14:00.021-07:00

Sculpture combines composition, proportion and the arrangement of shapes to lead the viewer to an artistic conclusion.
The greatest expression is communicated through the largest shapes. The sculptor must say as much as possible with the large forms before being concerned with detail.

Life-sized pheasant rooster and hen blocked in and in progress

#145 In the Field: Bird anatomy and sculpture workshop con't

2012-01-27T08:24:00.023-07:00

Sandy with a group of workshop participants. Armatures built and birds in flight completed during first four days

I believe sculpture, like any other skill, can be learned. You don't have to be born an artist. But like any other skill,
it requires study and practice. Workshops provide continuing education for adults and an opportunity to learn from a working, professional artist/instructor. I enjoy working with students of all levels of proficiency; particularly beginners and painters. My teaching method is structured and methodical . . . a step by step "follow me" approach.

Windmaster
13"H 23"W 14"D

#144 In the Field: Bird anatomy and sculpture workshop con't . . .

2012-01-26T07:29:00.015-07:00

Wing flight-feathers are divided into three groups:

Primaries, secondaries and tertials. These groups are attached to what corresponds to the arm and hand of a human.

All birds have a basic and predictable structure. The bird sculptor must know the basics of the skeleton and the sets of feathers inherent to all birds. Each bird's behavior must be researched to perceive relative proportions and shapes unique to the individual species.

Begin by thinking of the sets of feathers as individual shapes.

For it is shapes and the arrangement of shapes that make sculpture. Sculpture is the arrangement of shapes.

Wing drawing by Sandy Scott showing 3 main flight feather groups and additional feather groupings

#143 In the Field: Bird anatomy and sculpture workshop con't . . .

2012-01-25T06:59:00.003-07:00

Human arm top, bird wing bottom

The skeleton of the bird's wing is more easily understood when compared to the human arm:

Humerus - Innermost bone, between body and elbow.

Ulna/Radius - middle or forearm bones, between elbow and wrist. The secondary feathers are attached to the ulna.

Hand - Outermost bone, some metacarpals are missing, some are fused together. One of the digits is the thumb or alula, a small group of three or four feathers are attached to the bone. The ten primary flight feathers (nine in some perching birds) are attached to the hand.

Drawing of wing skeleton showing primaries, secondaries and tertials
by Sandy Scott

#142 In the Field: Bird anatomy and sculpture workshop con't . . .

2012-01-24T05:04:00.027-07:00

First day session at the Scottsdale Artists' School workshop
Sandy explaining bird anatomy using a roasting hen from the local grocery

There is nothing random in nature; everything is structured. Although animal sculptors do not need to be scientists they must know and understand the important bones, joints and muscles, not only where they attach but how they articulate. In addition to this knowledge the bird sculptor must know the major feather groups, and the mechanics
of flight. Birds in flight don't pose, therefore this understanding is a must.

Every bird has the same basic anatomy and feather groupings . . . from the tiny sparrow to the domestic chicken to the gigantic albatross. Each individual bird species, however, has unique characteristics.

Crowing Rooster II (bas relief) Wall Hanging
16"H 15"W 3"D

#141 In the Field: Bird anatomy and sculpture workshop con't . . .

2012-01-22T09:24:00.059-07:00

Sandy critiquing student work
http://www.scottsdaleartschool.org/

Tomorrow morning my 2012 Scottsdale Artists' School
bird anatomy and sculpture workshop begins. As I mentioned
in yesterday's blog, this is an important "in the field"
experience as I stay in touch with the basics.

I will begin the workshop with a discussion about bird anatomy, aerodynamics and achieving the illusion of movement
of birds in flight. I will discuss the difference between a technically adequate piece of work and one with spirit and life. I will emphasize the value of lost and found edges and how good composition and an expressive surface convey a feeling of movement, rhythm, light and emotion.

Students will learn the importance of assembling strong, meaningful shapes and how eliminating unimportant details can create the essence of the bird. Above all, movement, gesture, and anatomy are the focus. Instruction includes building bird armatures. Students will work from field guides, photography, drawings, and taxidermy mounts.
Artists in other mediums are welcome in this workshop as well as beginners.

Hay Bay
19"H 25"W 14"D

#140 In the Field: Bird anatomy and sculpture workshop

2012-01-21T09:56:00.093-07:00

Next week will be my 25th year as an instructor at The Scottsdale Artists' School. Teaching bird anatomy and sculpture is a personal discipline and has been rewarding over the years in that I continue to explore, learn and stay in touch with the basics.

Hallway to painting and sculpture classroom studios

Entrance

The Scottsdale Artists’ School offers weekly classes and workshops for everyone from the aspiring novice to the professional artist. Our courses are taught by working, professional artists who are also experienced instructors.

-Bernadette Mills
Executive Director

http://www.scottsdaleartschool.org/

#139 In the Studio: Collectors

2012-01-20T06:22:00.025-07:00

Tom Dailey, Sandy and artist Curt Walters
It's an extraordinary compliment when an artist
whose work you admire collects your work

The annual juried museum art shows such as the Autry Museum's Masters of the American West, National Cowboy Western Heritage Museum's Prix de West and National Museum of Wildlife Art's Western Visions in Jackson, WY allow the artist to meet their collectors. These prestigious shows are coveted invitations to the artist and I look forward to introducing new works at these gala annual events. They are attended by not only collectors but gallery owners, art lovers and students; a wide range of people in the art business who are interested in the arts. The rest of the year I'm represented by my galleries and rarely have a chance to meet my collectors.

The most profound realization of my life is that there are people I have never met who live with my art, and therefore I share with them a personal, if not intimate relationship.

The sculpture below will introduced this year at The Wild West in American Art,
May 5 thru July 22, 2012 Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, SC.

Bison Fragment II

26"H 37"W 8"D

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline.

#138 In the foundry: Quail . . .

2012-01-18T09:51:00.016-07:00

During patina, the bronze is heated and chemicals are applied

Most of last week was spent in patina at the foundry finishing the California Quail presentation piece for the Autry Museum Show next month: The sculpture will be presented to the trustees and other prominent individuals .

I was honored to be the sculptor selected to do the work by
John Geraghty, Trustee and Special Advisor to the Autry National Center's Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale, held February 3 & 4, 2012.

True patrons of the arts exist

and I know two of the finest:

Saralynn and John Geraghty.

Additional chemicals are applied with heat which enriches the patina.

#137 In the studio: painting . . .

2012-01-17T04:37:00.018-07:00

The painting studio is separate from the sculpture studios,

is situated along the Popo Agie River and has beautiful north light. It is a delightful room and although I don't have time to paint as much as I'd like to, painting was part of my training at the Kansas City Art Institute when I was young.

Painting is a great diversion from sculpture which at times can be physically demanding - especially monuments.

Over the past fifty years I have returned to it from time to time and last year as well as this year I've put a small painting in the miniature section at the Autry Masters Show in Los Angeles. This year's entry can be seen in #110, posted Dec. 17, 2011. It's a painting of my rooster, "Old Red" who is no longer with us - a fox got him - but not before I painted his portrait. I'll post it again after it's framed and before Autry.

Shown below is a recent 9" x 6" still life owned by Trish Smith

#136 In the studio: Pheasants still life con't . . .

2012-01-16T05:18:00.009-07:00

Clay County Birds by Ken Carlson
30 x 20

Yesterday the image of this beautiful still life was emailed to the studio by fellow artist and friend, Ken Carlson. I couldn't help notice the masterful use of lost and found edges in the work.

Lost and found edges are necessary in three-dimensional art as well as painting. While modeling the new pheasant still life sculpture (see yesterday's blog) it was important to soften and lose edges. I refrained from using too much detail and pattern and let the larger forms dominate. Transitions define form and as always, negative space - which has its own identity - was a major design element.

Oh Art of Painting,

You may well consider

Yourself most fortunate in having one of

Your artisans elevate You,

by his talent and manners, above the heavens!

Giorgio Vasari (on Raphael)

Pheasant still life 3-part mold in progress. Notice foot and foot and wing parts on right.

#135 In the studio: Pheasant still life con't . . .

2012-01-15T05:40:00.020-07:00

Pheasant rooster looking east toward the pond

I have pheasants on my property in Lander, Wyoming
and I routinely observe, photograph and draw them from my studio window.

I obtained additional study material from a pheasant hunt last fall. I always save the wings and tails to use as studio reference. The new pheasant sculpture has been on my mind for years and living with this old rooster every day was all I needed to finally actualize the piece.

Whether the artist works from nature, from memory or from fantasy, nature is always the source of creative impulses.

- Hans Hoffmann

Wings from fall pheasant hunt

#134 In the studio: Pheasant still life . . .

2012-01-14T09:41:00.050-07:00

Hanging Grouse Alexander Pope
Photo courtesy National Museum of Wildlife Art

The "gamepiece" - the still life with game - was beautifully painted by 17th century Dutch painters such as Jan Weenix and Melchior d'Hondecoeter. In the 18th century Jean Baptiste Oudry continued the genre. Today, Ken Carlson and Thomas Aquinas Daly carry on the tradition.

As an art student at the Kansas City Art Institute I was fascinated and influenced by 19th century American painters William Harnett and Alexander Pope who painted incredible tromp i'oeil sportsmen's still life masterpieces. While other students were studying Abstract Expressionism, I was immersed in representational subject matter that I grew up with in rural Oklahoma.

Executed in high relief, my new pheasant still life sculpture is meant to be a decorative wall hanging. My goal was to present the pheasant rooster with clarity of contour and expressive form . . . not as a dead bird.
The upright vertical axis of the new sculpture creates logical balance of mass and quiet simplicity of form.

www.wildlifeart.org/

Life-sized pheasant gamepiece in progress

#133 Remarque: "Eat More Beef"

2012-01-13T07:10:00.020-07:00

Humans and pigs have a strong affinity. People smile when they see a pig and often they are considered cute. Yes, an animal can seem cute and certainly, the goal of the artist is to evoke an emotional response.

However, my goal while designing Eat More Beef was to avoid "cuteness" and the exploitation of emotion by humanizing the creature's expression. I wanted to emphasize mass while portraying a typical pose and presenting a strong yet delightful presence.

Eat More Beef has credentials and is in the permeant collection of two major American museums. Shown is Trish with the monument in the Children's Sculpture Garden at Brookgreen Gardens, Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina. It is also in the R.W. Norton Museum, Shreveport, Louisiana.

Eat More Beef Monument

56" H

#132 In the studio: "Eat More Beef"

2012-01-12T07:57:00.010-07:00

This clay model entitled Eat More Beef is ready to mold.
The image and design has been popular and has been sculpted and presented in several sizes including a 7 foot high Colossus.

The 18" high sculpture is a commission and is a mirror image of a previously cast same-size version.

I like pigs.

Dogs look up to us.

Cats look down on us.

Pigs treat us as equals.

-Winston Churchill

#131 Remarque: "Equus Found Fragments I & II"

2012-01-11T05:00:00.008-07:00

The partial figure: What can the sculpture do without? Find power in the part by stripping the figure of the unessential.

Equus Found Fragments I & II were recently juried into the National Sculpture Society's 78th Annual Awards Exhibition.

I am proud to be an elected member of this time-honored and prestigious organization.

The dramatic sculpture also won the Award for Excellence from the Society of Animal Artists in 2010.
I have been an elected member of the Society of Animal Artists for over 30 years.

Equus Found Fragments I & II
23"H 41"L 8"D

#130 Remarque: "Eyes of the Wild"

2012-01-09T11:32:00.090-07:00

Full moon last night:

January moon is called

the Wolf Moon.

Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. Thus, the name for January’s full moon. It was also referred to as the Old Moon, or the Moon After Yule. These names date back to Native Americans of what is now northern United States and southern Canada.

Eyes of the Wild

9"H 8"W 7"D

#129 Throw on another log: Modern Art . . .

2012-01-08T07:07:00.071-07:00

Artists and collectors today are enjoying a resurgent interest in and a cultural return to representational art and realism.

During the modernist movement art that appealed to collective sensibilities was labeled as "kitsch" and therefore banished as garish and sentimental. Art was intellectualized and the only thing that linked traditional (classical) art and modern art was the fact that artists used the same material.

As modern art moved from one "ism" to another the average layman and viewer was isolated and cut off from time-honored, traditional and universal art. The public became a dumping ground for an individual artist's point of view and public outrage seemed to be the goal.
Google "piss Christ" for more information.

I keep in mind that throughout history the world's greatest art was typically produced on demand by a church, state, etc.
I continue to look at and experience modernism in museums and know there can be excitement, simplicity and good design in some abstract and non-reprentstational art. However, as an artist and a student of art history I don't subscribe to intellectualized art and elitism. There are no longer arbiters of taste.

Modern non-representational sculpture and painting was not an evolutionary extension of classical art. The character and purpose of modern art is complex - involving political and physiological upheavals of the 20th century.

Art cannot be modern, art is timeless.

- Egon Schiele

#128 Remarque: "Setter On Point"

2012-01-07T07:13:00.002-07:00

I love dogs and routinely use them as models. Unlike a grizzly, I can get up close and personal with my subject. I own a hunting dog as well as a Scottish Terrier and have great
in-the-field and in-house reference material.

I've sculpted many of breeds and because I love to bird hunt, depicting the English Setter on point brought back memories of a favorite and understood pose.

I've included an except from the best dog book I've ever read and I encourage you to read it - you will thank me for recommending Jenny Willow and you will thank the author,

Mike Gaddis, for writing this literary masterpiece.

The honor and loyalty of a dog had no equivalent

with humankind. It was the difference between

diamonds and cut glass. Hard and long ago he

had learned that, and its value. There could be

only one acceptable exchange. When you accepted

the trust in canine eyes, it must be for their lifetime.

Anything less was a betrayal. A betrayal he could

not abide. Particularly with a dog bred for the gun.

Mike Gaddis

Jenny Willow

Setter On Point
11"H 14"L 6"D

#127 Remarque: "Solitude"

2012-01-06T07:37:00.005-07:00

I have used the gentle bird of peace as an allegory symbolizing "Solitude". It is a recent piece, a personal favorite and I have it displayed on the coffee table in the studio.

It depicts a quiet, tranquil pose with an uncomplicated visual statement. Because there are no violent, turbulent contortions in the design, the sculpture is easy to live with.

Solitude
10"H 10"W 8"D

The sculptor must, by means of a resume'

of the impressions received, communicate

whatever has struck his sensibility, so that

a person beholding his work may experi-

ence in its entirety the emotions felt by the

artist while he observed nature.

Medardo Rosso

#126 In the studio: Galleries - "In the trenches". . .

2012-01-05T06:28:00.002-07:00

I completed my first portfolio of etchings in the mid 70's and was fortunate to be directed to top galleries in the west to introduce my art. During those years and until the present I have been represented by fine galleries who have given me the opportunity to be in the studio and in the field while they are "in the trenches". . .displaying, championing and placing my work in collector's homes and beyond - day in and day out.

#125 In the studio: New Bobwhite Quail sculpture

2012-01-04T08:25:00.005-07:00

Like most "in the field" experiences (see yesterday's Blog) the Oklahoma Bobwhite Quail hunt resulted in an idea for a new sculpture. Upon return to the Lander studio I blocked in a new design of a pair of bobs, heads alert, ready to fly.

At any given time, I have many pieces in progress and my daily routine is to move around the studio, seeing each sculpture with fresh eyes and making decisions.

Typically a work is completed, signed and molded when a deadline looms.

#124 In the field: "Brittany and Bobs"

2012-01-03T08:53:00.005-07:00

We went quail hunting in northeastern Oklahoma while in Tulsa for the holidays. We took my Brittany, Penny to Tom Woods place where she received her initial training.

Penny was given to me by my sister, Nancy in 2009 and I got to pick her out when she was only 2 days old. Her mama is a Rick Smith dog
(tops in the Brittany world) and although she is a pet, her breeding shows when she is afield. I take her hunting as often as I can and have good reason to brag about her.

Many of my collectors are sportsman and hunters and they can tell if the wildlife artist has "been there" or not. Upland bird hunting is only one of many outdoor experiences that provide reference material for my art.

Brittany and Bobs

7 1/4 x 5 1/4
Original etching by Sandy Scott

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

http://www.woodskennel.com/

#123 In the studio: Trail Creek, Larimer County, Colorado

2012-01-01T08:21:00.012-07:00

Happy New Year!

Trail Creek Studio in the summer

We spent the holidays with my sister Nancy and nephew Cole in Tulsa, Oklahoma where I grew up.

On our way back to the Lander headquarters we stopped at our Trail Creek Studio in northern Colorado. Nestled in the foothills of the Rockies, the little cabin is built into a rock outcropping and the studio juts out into the trees above a trout stream. Fully equipped and with great north light, it's a delight to work in. Also, it is conveniently located one hour from the Loveland, Colorado foundries where I sometimes cast and where we get our molding and art supplies.

While there I modeled a little horse study and took it back to Lander to "tweak", complete, mold and cast.

The little horse study silhouetted in the Trail Creek studio window looking north.

#122 Happy New Year's Eve!

2011-12-31T07:08:00.002-07:00

To our collectors, galleries, fellow artists, students and friends:

Thank you for following our Newsletter Art Blog . . .

Because of the world wide web, in the short time we have been online we have had an incredible response from art lovers around the world. We have viewers from such diverse places as Russia, Germany, France, Poland, United Kingdom, India, Japan, Mexico, Albania, Turkey, Canada, Pakistan, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Norway, China, Spain, Greece and many more far away locations.

I invite you to scroll back month by month and revisit our postings. Please don't hesitate to comment, make suggestions or requests. We have many things planned for 2012 that we hope are interesting, educational, entertaining and unique. As before, art will be the focus.

#121 Original Etching Remarque: "Dixie"

2011-12-29T09:43:00.019-07:00

Years ago I had a little quarter horse mare named Dixie. I kept her on my Dad's place when he was ranching in northeastern Oklahoma in the 1960's and 70's and frequently used her as a model.

An etching is a drawing, created by the artist on a copper or zinc plate. Please refer to the Dec. 26 Blog for more information about the etching process.

Dixie

11 3/4 x 7 3/4

Detail of original etching Dixie
showing etched line work

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#120 Remarque: "Nipper"

2011-12-28T16:14:00.029-07:00

This giraffe like pose is typical of young horses, which eventually grow into their legs.

I have included a detail of the vigorous modeling. The piece was modeled from life in one sitting and my goal was to retain the spontaneous freshness of the soft clay.

Nipper

19"H 18"W 12"D

Nipper detail

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#119 Original etching: "Daydreaming"

2011-12-27T11:33:00.009-07:00

An etching is a drawing, created by the artist on a copper or zinc plate. Please refer to the # 118, Dec. 26, 2012.

Daydreaming
5 x 7

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#118 Original etchings: "Chickadee and Snowbird"

2011-12-26T08:47:00.087-07:00

An etching is a time-honored method of making prints from a copper or zinc metal plate. The plate is first coated with an acid resistant ground made of beeswax and resin, through which the artist draws the design with a sharp tool, exposing the raw metal.

The plate is then placed in nitric acid which eats away the drawing (exposed raw metal) forming recessed lines. These lines hold the ink and when moist paper is placed on the plate and run through a roller press, the inked design transfers to the paper, making a finished print or etching. There will be more about the etching process in an upcoming Blog.

Sandy's etchings are printed in a small editions and some are hand-tinted by the artist with transparent watercolor.

Chickadee
4 1/2" X 4 1/2"

Snowbird
4 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#117 Throw on another log: 'tis the season

2011-12-25T09:21:00.021-07:00

Merry Christmas!

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#116 Throw on another log: 'tis the season

2011-12-24T09:24:00.008-07:00

Hope your Christmas is merry and bright.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#115 Functional Art: "Grizzly Bear Door Knocker"

2011-12-22T09:37:00.010-07:00

Traditionally, sculptors have been called upon to create functional art for indoor and outdoor use.

Grizzly Bear Door Knocker
10"H 8" 3"D

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#114 Functional Art: "Owl Door Knocker"

2011-12-21T06:34:00.006-07:00

Functional art is a time-honored theme for sculptors and is a significant part of my portfolio.

Over the years, I have designed many works that can be put to practical use: Bookends, door knockers, fountains,
wine buckets, sundials and hooks for horse bridles, dog leashes, kitchen pots, fishing creels, heavy hunter's coats, etc.

Collectors enjoy the serviceable function of the art and I love creating the sculpture.

Owl Door Knocker
16"H 8"W 3"D

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#113 Functional art: "Mule Deer Buck Door Knocker"

2011-12-20T06:56:00.012-07:00

Traditionally, sculptors have been called upon to create functional art for indoor and outdoor use.

Mule Deer Buck Door Knocker
11"H 6"W 4"D

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#112 Functional art: "Cocina Queen"

2011-12-19T07:31:00.014-07:00

This wall hanging works well in the kitchen for obvious reasons.

Cocina Queen
9"H 9"W 7"D
View 1

Cocina Queen
9"H 9"W 7"D
View 2

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#111 In the studio: Making a mold

2011-12-18T11:52:00.023-07:00

Last week Trish completed the new equestrian sculpture mold and took it to the foundry for casting.

The coats of rubber mold material show that the obvious big shapes dominate; details have been modeled as gradual transitions and do not leap out at the viewer.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#110 In the studio: Drawing con't . . .

2011-12-17T08:18:00.005-07:00

Drawing forces careful observation causing the artist to understand and know the creature.

Shown below is a recent oil painting . . . I approached it as a drawing using brush and pigment.

Original oil painting by Sandy Scott
5 x 7

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#109 In the studio: Drawing con't . . .

2011-12-16T08:42:00.011-07:00

A sculptor knows that drawing strengthens observation skills.

Understanding the subject enables the artist to see, draw and model the animal.

Learning to draw is really a matter of

learning to see - to see correctly - and

that means a good deal more than merely

looking with the eyes.

- Kimon Nicolaides

Dominick
8 3/4 x 7
Original etching by Sandy Scott

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#108 In the studio: Drawing con't . . .

2011-12-15T06:57:00.029-07:00

Simple shapes are the foundation of drawing and to draw accurately we must use all these shapes - circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, ovals, etc. - in correct relation to each other.

The handling of clay and other sculptural material can be taught and learned. Sculpture involves the consideration of three dimensions - width, height and depth. If you can see your subject, you can draw it and therefore express it in clay.

Cochin China
17"H 14"W 9"D

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#107 In the studio: Drawing con't . . .

2011-12-14T08:43:00.018-07:00

Drawing is a skill that can be taught and learned, and like any skill, it takes practice.

How does one learn to draw? The answer is irritatingly simple: You must learn to see your subject. If you can see your subject, you can draw it and therefore express it by painting it or modeling it in clay.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#106 Throw on Another Log: Drawing

2011-12-13T09:20:00.014-07:00

Drawing is essential to creating art. It should be approached as a way of learning.

Unfortunately, most students, whether through their own fault or the fault of their instructors, seem to be dreadfully afraid of making technical mistakes. You should understand that these mistakes are unavoidable. The sooner you make your first 5000 mistakes, the sooner you will be able to correct them.

- Kimon Nicolaides

Eager
Original etching by Sandy Scott
6 3/4 x 7

An etching is a drawing, created by the artist on a copper or zinc plate.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#105 Remarque: "Equus Found Fragment III"

2011-12-12T07:57:00.012-07:00

The original clay model that was the matrix of Equus Found III depicted a charger with a Greek-style roached mane.
The sculpture was never molded and cast but fresh discoveries were made when I edited to a partial figure.
Awareness of past tradition and removing part of the logic create a more daring visual experience.

A woman, a mountain or a horse are formed according to the same principle.

- Auguste Rodin

Equus Found Fragment III

22"H 22"W 6"D

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#104 Remarque: Spa Series - "Torso I"

2011-12-11T08:01:00.011-07:00

Belvedere Torso

Fragmented sculpture was intolerable to the ancient Greek notion of beauty. Later excavations and discoveries, such as the Belvedere Torso, changed the perception and strongly influenced late Renaissance and Baroque artists.

Like the horse, modeling the human figure is a challenge . . .
the delicate planes are almost imperceptible. While creating the partial figure, Torso I, my goal was to indicate and suggest the original gesture.

Spa Series - Torso I

24"H 10"W 8"D

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#103 In the Studio: New equestrian sculpture in progress . . .con't

2011-12-10T10:11:00.013-07:00

Full moon last night:

December moon is called

the Cold Moon

and there was a total eclipse

early this morning.

The new equestrian sculpture mold must be started today

and in the foundry next week or it will not be cast in time

for the Autry Masters Show in February.

If I did not have deadlines,

I'm confident that the modeling and "tweaking" would never end.

The process, not the end work, is the most important thing for the artist.

- Georgia O'Keeffe

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#102 In the Studio: New equestrian sculpture in progress . . .con't

2011-12-09T07:41:00.011-07:00

My personal ideal of equine aesthetic perfection is an ongoing pursuit in my portfolio and at any given time I have several equestrian sculptures in progress in the studio.

There are powerful forms in the body of a horse and too much detail can detract from their simple conformation. Line and edges define contour and form which are the essential elements of design.

Little else is needed than the relationship of the main masses and planes. My goal is to present balance, simplicity and create a subliminal message of movement.

The different clay color in the two pictures is caused by lighting:

The top picture is natural north light, the warm gray in the bottom picture is artificial incandescent light.

More about lighting in a later Blog.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#101 In the Studio: New equestrian sculpture in progress (untitled). . .

2011-12-08T08:24:00.008-07:00

The horse has long been an inspiration for artists. It is a perfect Romantic subject in its beauty and its ability to provoke emotional responses.

In progress in the studio is a new sculpture of the horse that represents not only my love of the animal but the perpetual challenge of modeling them. My personal ideal of equine aesthetic perfection is an ongoing aggravation.

I own horses and use them as models. Shown is Trish with our Morgan gelding, Hawk.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#100 Remarque: "Westwind"

2011-12-07T09:21:00.020-07:00

Westwind is the head study for a new sculpture which
will be introduced at the Masters of the American West
show at the Autry Museum in Feb. 2012.

The new work revisits the pose I used on an earlier piece entitled Charger and for now remains untitled.

Note the two different types of clay being used during modeling: I blocked the piece in with the yellow clay and changed to a softer clay for the finish work. The two different clays impart different surface textures.

Westwind
11"H 11"W 6"D

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#99 Remarque: "Charger"

2011-12-06T07:41:00.036-07:00

Ten years ago our Morgan gelding was used as the model
for Charger. My goal was to idealize the animal and create
a powerful image.

I am preoccupied with modeling horses and consciously stylize my designs. My obsession with modeling horses continues to lay a thorough foundation for my art, just as playing scales

does for a musician.

In my opinion, horses and the human figure are the most
difficult creatures to transform into a visual expression -
perhaps it's because they are both so beautiful.

Charger

26"H 25"W 9"D

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#98 Remarque: "Sky Passage"

2011-12-05T07:10:00.014-07:00

I am influenced and fascinated by archaic equestrian Greek Sculpture and by formal composition.

Pegasus is a traditional and time-honored motif has been used by many sculptors and dates back to
the Greeks and Romans and succeeding periods including the Renaissance and the grand age of the
Beaux-Arts style of the late 1800s.

Sky Passage

16"H 16"W 14"D

Modeling wings on a horse is more fun than a sculptor should have.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#97 In the studio: Wildlife reference con't . . .

2011-12-04T07:38:00.014-07:00

During the rut, or mating season, the big bucks move into our herd. The rut is over in our area but now and then a big buck will make an appearance.

Less than a mile up the river there is a herd of whitetail. The whitetail and mule deer's range overlap on the eastern slope of the Rockies but they do not interbreed.

The whitetail deer's antlers branch from a single main beam while the muley's antlers fork as they grow. Each spring, after mating season, a buck's antlers start to regrow almost immediately after the old antlers are shed. Shedding typically takes place in mid February, with variations occurring by locale.

Ten-point Whitetail buck

Ten-point Mule Deer

Mule deer buck by our frozen pond

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline

#96 In the studio: Wildlife reference . . .

2011-12-03T08:28:00.020-07:00

We have a herd of mule deer on our property who bed down year round in the high grass between the pond and river. I can be in the field while in the studio; look out the window, keep tabs on their activities and use them as models.

I have several sculptures of mule deer in progress in the studio: one of a running buck and another design depicts a small grouping of does.

Indigenous to the west, the mule deer gets its name from their large mule-like ears. I photographed this doe and yearling yesterday. Later in the day we had eleven does, young bucks, yearlings and fawns outside the studio.

Mule deer doe and yearling outside design studio

Feel So Good (Mule deer buck)

7 3/4 x 11 3/4

Original etching by SandyScott

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline.

#95 Throw on another log: "loose" con't . . .

2011-11-30T05:54:00.019-07:00

There is no technical trick for modeling in a "loose" manner. The sculptor
must simply feel or sense that he or she has created a meaningful shape
and surface passage. This cannot be accomplished without understanding
the subject's anatomy.

Take any man and develop his mind and soul and heart

to the fullest by the right work and the right study

and then let him find through this training

the utmost freedom of expression.

For a man ceases to imitate when he has achieved

the power to express fully and freely his own ideas.

- Robert Henri

Roosting Rooster Fragment I

19"H 26"W 6"D

with detail below

"Loose" is how it looks, not how it's done.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline.

#94 Throw on another log: "loose" con't . . .

2011-11-29T07:18:00.016-07:00

Quick clay sketches from life can have honesty and vitality, but spontaneity is not possible without planning and structuring. Knowing the subject intimately and having a good plan and design enable you to make the sculpture intuitive and spontaneous.

More often than not, happy accidents are rare, and without a thorough knowledge of the animal, what the artist may perceive as being "loose" and spontaneous is not understood and is really sloppy modeling.

If it be right, do it boldly,

It it be wrong leave it undone.

- Gilpin

Fox Watch

16"H 16"W 9"D

with detail below

"Loose" is how it looks, not how it's done.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline.

#93 Throw on another log: "loose" . . .

2011-11-27T06:23:00.029-07:00

I've taught sculpture workshops for over 25 years and have been told countless times by student participants that "I'm here because I want to 'loosen' up my technique and style."

"Loose" is the ability to give an accurate impression in clay without precise modeling. "Loose" is how it looks, not how it's done.

An artist is not paid for his labour but for his vision.
- James McNeill Whistler

Quail Gamebird Bookends
12"H 18"W 10"D

"Loose" is how it looks, not how it's done.

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline.

#92 In the studio: Wildlife reference con't . . .

2011-11-26T03:49:00.012-07:00

My inspiration comes from nature and I rely on the creative impulses I experience on my own property where mule deer, bald eagles and many other birds and animals are routinely seen.

The beautiful Wind River Mountain Range, west of my studio, abounds with wildlife and is a constant reminder of the seasonal cycles.

Bald Eagle

5 1/2 x 7 1/2

Original etching by Sandy Scott

The Wind River Mountain Range looking west from the studio

I go to nature to be soothed

and healed and to have my

senses put in tune once more.

- John Burroughs

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline.

#91 In the studio: Wildlife reference . . .

2011-11-25T06:11:00.028-07:00

The Popo Agie River is the north and east boundary of the Lander studio property. The river makes an abrupt 90 degree turn at the northeast corner and our protected land to the south provides a sanctuary for wildlife: Mule deer, pheasants, doves, geese, ducks, bald eagles, osprey, herons and other critters can be seen during all seasons of the year.

I keep a camera and sketchbook close by.

Mule Deer Buck
Original etching by Sandy Scott

Looking out my studio window on Thanksgiving Day - A big mule deer doe

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline.

#90 Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T05:40:00.013-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Detail from The Strut
Orignal etching by Sandy Scott

Note: The etching link from sandyscott.com is being redesigned and is temporarily offline.

#89 In the studio: The Lander, Wyoming Grassy River Studio . . .

2011-11-22T05:27:00.009-07:00

We are back in Lander, in residence and at work in the Grassy River Studio. Since 2005 this has been our headquarters. We were located in Fort Collins, Colorado the previous 20 years where we eventually ran our own cold foundry and had our metal poured in Loveland.

In 2000 we bought a little ranch house on 8 acres along the Popo Agie River north of Lander and built the monument studio, guest house, log design studio and main house in that order. In 2009 we moved into the main house. I know it sounds complicated but it's not near as complicated as is was actualizing it.

At work in the the new design studio

Standing on the deck overlooking the Popo Agie River. Popo Agie (pronounced po-PO-zsha)
is a Crow Indian name meaning "tall grass river" or "grassy river".

#88 In the studio: Lander, Wyoming headquarters

2011-11-19T16:17:00.013-07:00

Headed west

Yesterday we returned to our Lander, Wyoming headquarters. Unlike the cozy, intimate Canadian cabin, the Lander studio is like the west itself . . . big, expansive and at times, overwhelming. Large works and monuments are actualized on the property in a designated facility separate from the design studio. My home, library, records, collections and extensive reference files all are here. Most important, the foundry that casts my work is less than 5 miles away.

#87 Throw on another log: Tradition . . .

2011-11-18T13:13:00.014-07:00

The cabin in Canada is cold and silent now and I'm sure the mice are in residence after being terrorized for over a month by Watcher, our Scotty.

I'm still under the spell of the north country, like I always am at the end of the season and as I write this I'm thinking about opening up next summer; it's been a tradition since I bought the cabin in 1978. My etchings that hang on the log walls paid for the place.

It was beyond my wildest dreams to think I could ever own a camp on a Lake of the Woods island when I left art school in the early 60's. During those years we stayed at Red Deer Lodge, which can be seen looking north off our deck. Collectors responded to my etchings which were inspired by what I had experienced in the wilderness and was passionate about .

Lake of the Woods: A tradition and the genesis of my artistic statement.

Those who would make us feel,

must feel themselves.

- George Churchill

#86 In the field: On the road . . .

2011-11-17T13:52:00.013-07:00

Sign on boathouse

Yesterday afternoon we drove south on icy roads and crossed the Canadian/US border before dark. We spent the night in Fargo, North Dakota and woke up to a crystal clear day and 5 degree F temperatures. Driving south we noticed frozen ponds and pot holes and an occasional lake with open water where we saw hundreds of late season geese and ducks headed south like us. Unlike the waterfowl, however, we are not headed for warm weather. We turn west and head for Wyoming where lots or work and a cold winter lie ahead.

Pintail Arrival
16"H 27"W 12"D

#85 In the studio: Leaving the Canada camp and studio . . .

2011-11-16T21:33:00.009-07:00

Our boathouse at daybreak

This morning we woke up to bitter cold and snow. It's clearing
and calm and a skim of ice will form by tomorrow. We must take care of last minute closing tasks and be off the island by mid-morning.

My father died 20 years ago on this day. An hour before dark last night Trish and I went to his favorite spot across from the island and caught a couple of nice walleye. We honored him and his memory by cooking a walleye breakfast before leaving. What I would have given to have caught those fish with him.

The north country experience was a gift he gave me.

We left the moose sculpture out overnight so the soft oil based clay could firm up for transport

#84 In the studio, in the field: Closing up and leaving Canada

2011-11-15T18:15:00.008-07:00

The ice was late coming in this year but it's here now. In a day or two the shallow bays will be frozen and if we don't leave tomorrow we will have to break ice to get off the island.

Today we packed, drained and closed up the cabin til next year. As I look back on the past 4 weeks and assess the adventures, observations and work that transpired here I realize more than ever that the north country supplies much of the raw material for my art.

Our boathouse will soon be locked in ice til spring thaw.

Frigid weather, snow by morning; our last night in the cabin.

#83 In the studio: "Pipestone Marsh Bull"

2011-11-14T12:12:00.010-07:00

Tomorrow we pack, drain and close the camp for the season. It's almost freeze up and yesterday I spent the day in the studio. We have been deer hunting the past few days and it helped to get away and return to the moose sculpture with "fresh eyes".

If I cast the moose I'll name the old boy Pipestone Marsh because that's where we saw him earlier this month. I will take the model to the Lander studio to finish where I have a library, video and more extensive "scrap" or reference files. I will continue to use the Bob Kuhn painting as the pose.

                    Immature artists imitate.
                       Mature artists steal.
                                        Lionel Trilling

#82 Lake of the Woods studio: ICE IS COMING

2011-11-12T08:06:00.006-07:00

The ice is coming and it's almost time to close up and go.

We arrived here at the Canada cabin studio four weeks ago . As I assess the adventures, observations and work that transpired, I realize more than ever;
I shape my life as I go. . . creating, studying, traveling to enrich my experience and knowledge. I want new ideas, challenges, revelations and associations.

There's so much I don't understand and I'm looking for meaning. There's so little time.

An artist is not paid for his labour but for his vision.

James McNeill Whistler

#81 Remarque: "Whitetail Head Study"

2011-11-12T05:40:00.009-07:00

Whitetail Head Study
10"H 6"W 5"D

I am a conservationist and a hunter. Hunting is an autumn ritual, a tradition, the way I was raised in rural Oklahoma. Venison steaks and stew meat, chops, roasts and tenderloin will be nourishment for body and soul during the long months between seasons.

In the fall I become a player; no longer just an observer I become an integral part of nature.

When we eat, something has died.

When we hunt, we strive to retain some

measure of connection with the earth

whence we came and to which we

inexorably return. To hunt is to embrace

one's identity as a creature.

___ C. Stanley Mason

"Voices on the Wind"