#617 Reference for the horse artist . . . Sam Savitt

When I left art school in Kansas City in the early 1960s, I entered the realm of commercial art and animation.
My heroes then remain my heroes now . . . one of them was the outstanding illustrator of horses:  Sam Savitt.
 Born in 1917, he passed away in the year 2000.  He illustrated for outdoor magazines but horse stories
was always his specialty . . . be it racing, polo, western, rodeo, dressage, or fox hunting and I remember him
as a youngster when my Father would give me his magazines to tear the pictures for my scrapbooks.

He authored numerous books, illustrated over 150 books, and among many other publications,  illustrated a line of comics for Gene Autry's horse, Champion for Dell Comics in 1951 which I eagerly collected. . . and wish I had saved. 

 Not only was he a great illustrator, he was a horseman with a great knowledge of horses.  

Below, is the cover of one of his best know books, "Draw Horses With Sam Savitt", originally published in 1981
by Half Halt Press, Middletown, Maryland.  Also shown are images of pages from the book.
This is a very informative book and he shows you how to draw and understand the horse in motion, 

conformation and markings, anatomy, and breeds of horses, and much more.

In 1995, while teaching a bird sculpture workshop at Scottsdale Artists' School,  Mr. Savitt was also an instructor there. 

 I had the great pleasure of meeting him and was truly star-struck!  Trish and I had just picked up our new West Highland Terrier puppy and he was totally charmed by the little dog and would play with it every day when we took our breaks. 

 A few years later, after he had died I found the book, published 1969, shown below in a flea market and rescued it.  

To my delight, when I opened the book, it had been signed to someone and had a sketch of a horse 

which is also shown below.  His elegant style and presentation of the horse is my ideal.

www.samsavitt

www.samsavitt.com/books

Go to the BLOG INDEX and Reference Page for more information.  See posts # 616 and 655

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

#598 Paris, con't . . . "The Venus de Milo"

Trish and I spent three weeks in Paris last month exploring museums and monuments and enjoying the art, architecture,
and ambiance of the beautiful city.  Please visit the previous
three blogs for more info about the art we experienced.

The focus of this blog is the Greek Hellenistic masterpiece, "The Venus de Milo" located in the Louvre.
The six foot eight inch high Parian marble carving was discovered on the island of Milo in 1820 by a French explorer with the help of a  peasant and was acquired in1821, a gift from King Louis XVIII who received it from the Marquis de Riviere.

Everyone was charmed by the exquisite grace and beauty of the sculpture and its arrival in Paris caused great
 excitement resulting in violent disputes about its history.  Shown below, is an image of "The Venus de Milo".

The sculpture represents the mythological Goddess of Love and Beauty, called Aphrodite by the Greeks
and Venus by the Romans and has come to represent the universal standard of perfection.

Importantly, the much adulated sculpture is an original Greek statue and not a Roman copy.

Below, is another image of "The Venus de Milo" taken last month in the Louvre.

The sculpture belongs to the Hellenistic age of about 130 BC and some scholars believe it almost certainly was
created by Praxiteles.  Like other works by this great sculptor, the figure is slightly off balance in a contrapposto pose.

Contrapposto is an Italian term that means "counterpose" or "opposite" and it was originated by the ancient Greeks.
It is used in the visual arts to describe a human figure standing with most of its weight on one foot so that its shoulders
and arms twist off-axis from the hips and legs . . . the weight is therefore unequally distributed between the two legs,
resulting in a slight curvature of the torso and an elegant tilting of the pelvis and shoulders in opposite directions.

While some scholars believe the contrapposto and the face is in the style of Praxiteles, there are many who think the calm strength of the countenance suggests the school of the great sculptor, Phidias.  To further complicate the matter, some think the proportions of the body follow the school of the sculptor Lysippus.
The most recent theory, is thought to be the work of Alexandro of Antioch
due to an inscription found on what may have been its original pedestal.

 
Arguments also prevail as to how the sculptor placed the arms . . .
many ideas have been proposed - some think she held an apple in
her raised left hand -  but, unless further discoveries are made, the position of the arms will always remain a mystery.

There are also conflicting ideas about how the statue was discovered
but despite the controversy and unknown data, "The Venus de Milo"
is thought to represent the ideal of feminine beauty and she
remains one of the most famous sculptures in the world.

Fortunately, after discovery and after several attempts,
it was decided not to replace the missing arms since the
original design remains unclear and unknown.

Additional images of the sculpture are shown below.

  

Rodin loved "The Venus de Milo" and wrote an essay about the work in "Art and Progress" in 1911.
The link to the translation is http://www.jstor.org/stable/20560537

Much, much more has been written about the famous sculpture which is beyond the scope of this blog.
More information can be obtained online.


At the end of each blog about art in Paris, I'll include a personal glimpse and souvenir of our excellent
experience last month which those of you who have visited the beautiful city can relate to.
Remember . . . souvenir in French means "memory".

Below, is a photo of bargaining for an antique book from a bookstall vendor along the Seine.
I now agonize over not purchasing the old art book . . . the price was right but it was very heavy and by this time
 I had already filled a newly purchased suitcase with books and had shipped others as well.  I must go back!

Go to the BLOG INDEX on the right for more information. 

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish

   

#509 In the library . . . treasures

Over the years I've met many wonderful and interesting people . . . 

among the most memorable are the fine artists whose paths I've been fortunate to cross.

It's been my experience that the bigger the artist's name is in the art world . . .

the bigger that person is as a human being.

Below, are a few treasures I've collected and as you can see,  all are personalized. 
They all have special meaning and bring back memories of times past.

I treasure the art and I treasure the artists.

The two paintings below are by master artist, Richard Schmid.

I bought the first one (below) at the Northwest Rendezvous "quick-draw" and later, after he and 
Nancy moved to Colorado where I was living, we swapped art.  I received the painting, 
"Jackie" which is in his new book and he and Nancy have my sculpture, "Mallard Duet".  
One evening, they came to dinner and surprised me with a painting of the sculpture which I treasure.

Below, are images of the title page from G. Harvey's book entitled,

"Taking Stock: Paintings and Sculpture by G. Harvey", published in 1986.

When Gerald sent the book, I was delighted to discover an exquisite little 
watercolor next to his remark and signature. 

The drawing below is by Howard Terpning.  He and his wife, Marlies, have several of my outdoor 
sculptures in their courtyard in Tucson . . . this treasured drawing was a gift following installation.

The painting below is by one of the nicest and most talented people I know . . . 

the one and only Dan Gerhartz.  I met Dan and Jen very early in his career and purchased 
this painting while it was still wet in Jackson, Wyoming. . . note the bugs in the paint.

The drawing below is by the incomparable, Bob Kuhn.  I had the great experience of being in Alaska for two 
weeks with Bob and a group of wildlife artists in 1989 and we became friends. Over the years, 
I collected many of his outstanding drawings and I miss him, his wit, and his superlative talent.

Below, is one of the greatest treasures in my library . . . personalized by the author, Tony Dyer;
the publisher of Winchester Press, Jim Rikhoff;  the president (at the time) of Game Conservation International, 
Harry Tennison;  and the illustrator, Bob Kuhn.  The many drawings are superb!  
Yes - it's true - I am the caretaker of this magnificent tome . . . a first edition, published in 1973.

After traveling to Africa for the first time last fall . . . 
Oh, what I would give to visit with Bob about his many adventures in Africa!

To learn more about the subjects in this blog go to the links below.  
For a complete list of the blog index go to the Index Page and 
type the subject in the Search This Blog link on the right.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith

#508 Ex Libris

I love books and I love to read.

I collect books - new books, old books, and rare books . . .
about many different subjects.  My focus, however, is on art,
animals, and history.  I have a real library filled floor to
ceiling with books arranged in a peculiar system that only
I know but cannot explain.  When I shuttle a book
between the library and studio, I always return it to the
same place.  Typically, I can lay my hands on any
book at any given time and I have an uncanny way
of knowing if a book is missing or is out of place. 

 I love the feel, the weight, the smell - everything - about books. 

I love ripping cellophane off of new books and the sound of a book
being opened for the first time.  I love the pictures, illustrations,
and maps in books.  I love the bindings, marbling, bookplates,
and pressed flowers that I find in old books.

My library is a baronial-sized room that is my sanctuary,
and when I enter it, adventure is imminent.
I love the reassurance of having a book nearby,
and I'm uncomfortable in a room where there are no books. 

   Although the internet has opened a wealth of access and knowledge to "information  junkies" like me . . .
nothing will ever replace a book.
While a computer can answer specific questions
and epitomizes the ultimate reference source. . .
a book offers the surprise of discovery and may present information that one, perhaps, had not thought to ask about! 

Below, are images of my library and various studio bookcases and shelves.

What are books without bookends?  I love bookends and over the years have created over
30 different designs . . . below are samples.

Quail Gamebird Bokends

 Remembering Will James Bookends

 Reflection and Resolve Bookends

 Rooster Head Bookends

Turkey Bookends

To learn more about the subjects in this blog go to the links below.  
For a complete list of the blog index go to the Index Page and 
type the subject in the Search This Blog link on the right.

Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish Smith

#470 In the studio: Introduction to etching

Sandy and Trish are on a field trip to Tanzania, Africa.
 In their absence, an introduction to original printmaking and ETCHING has been pre-posted.

During the 1970s, Sandy Scott's etchings of rural, wildlife, and sporting subjects became widely known to collectors, museums, and galleries across the United States and Canada.

Her small, hand-pulled editions printed on exquisite French rag paper with sepia ink
and her innovative technique of applying transparent watercolor, became her trademark.

 The National Cowboy Hall of Fame, now known as The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
in Oklahoma City, held a one-woman exhibition of her etchings in 1978.
In 1983, she won the Printmaking Medal of Honor at the American Artists Professional League in New York . . .
the award winning etching "Sleeping Cat", is shown below.

In1980, she turned her attention to sculpture and produced her last portfolio of etchings in 1983.

Her early etchings, however, can still be collected from the artist and found in galleries, museums,
and on the secondary market.


In 1982, Watson Guptill published Masters of Western Art, written by Mary Carroll Nelson describing
Sandy's etching working method.  The next 7 blogposts will revisit her technique.

Next Sunday's  blog begins the introduction to etching series.


Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott

#469 A new book: "Art of the National Parks"

Earlier this year, a new book entitled, "Art of the National Parks", was introduced.

The book includes 70 artists who offer distinctive visions of 8 of the nation's beloved national parks.

With more than 450 artworks in 430 pages, this glorious, large format book is a must for
anyone who has hiked the trails, watched a sunset, marveled at buffalo herds,
or yearned to experience America's mythic and transformative vistas.  

Published by Fresco Fine Art Publications, co-authored by Susan Hallsten McGarry,
well-known author;  Jean Stern,  curator and art-historian;  and Terry Lawson Dunn,

biologist and educator, the book is an indispensable compendium of artists who are at the
forefront of 21st century American landscape and wildlife art.


Below, included in Yellowstone section of the book are friends and fellow artists . . .
Clyde Aspevig, Scott Christensen, Ralph Oberg,  Jim Wilcox, and more.
Jim's painting is featured on the cover of the magnificent book.

http://www.amazon.com/
http://www.unmpress.com/

My work was included in the Yellowstone National Park section.

Below, are images of works featured.

 Sleepy Fox
18"H 15"W 9"D

 Ancient Way
20"H 24"W 11"D

 Red-tailed Hawk at Sappa Creek
42"H 30"W 25"D

 Harbinger of Light
13H 20"W 16"D

Hay Bay
19"H 25"W 14"D


Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott

#441 Remarque: "The Red Fox in Art"

Every now and then a coffee table-type art book comes along that is a real showstopper . . . 

such is the case with John Orrelle's impressive publication, The Red Fox in Art.

In this masterful visual tribute to the Red Fox, Orrelle has presented a stunning array of images spanning centuries.  Included are Peter Paul Rubens, Sir Edwin Landseer, Bruno Liljefors, Winslow Homer, N.C. Wyeth, Carl Rungius, and many historically celebrated artists.  Twentieth century and contemporary art is represented by Bob Kuhn, Ken Carlson, Robert Bateman, Ken Bunn, yours truly, and many other wildlife artists.

With hundreds of images featured, this volume represents a unique 

achievement in the history of literature devoted to animal art.  

Skagit River Press

ISBN 978-0-9818005-1-6

Telephone: (360) 466-5953

312 Willapa Place

La Conner, WA 98257

http://www.skagitriverpress.com/

 An image of Fox Watch introduces the book's sculpture section

Included, is Fox Rock Mantlepiece

All sculpture - copyright Sandy Scott

Fox Watch 16"H 16"W 9"D

$3200

Fox Rock Mantlepiece 11"H 18"W 6"D