Page 96 - ShowSight, November 2020
P. 96

                 MODERN MASTERS
MODERN
MASTERS
CONTEMPORARY CANINE ARTISTS SHARE THEIR GIFTS
 BY DAN SAYERS
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ARTISTS
Talent is a gift.
The gifted express their talent in many ways; as scientists and athletes, orators and singers, priests and pundits. Some people are talented teachers and parents—or grandparents. Among the artistically gifted, talent is indicated through various media;
paint, porcelain, crystal, clay, leather, and light. Canine artists are particu- larly fortunate in that inspiration comes from the most engaging of sourc- es. After all, what could be more appealing to a dog-loving artist than a Doberman Pinscher’s “Look of Eagles” or the deerlike elegance of a Pharaoh Hound? When it comes to finding a muse, the dog world offers the artist a multitude of options.
Purebred dogs and artists share a legacy that can be traced to ancient Egypt and places further afield. Cave paintings from Arabia to Indonesian depict early man accompanied by his dogs. However, purebred dogs patient- ly waited until the 19th century to be recognized as worthy subjects unto themselves. Selective breeding and the exhibition of dogs encouraged gifted artists such as George Earl, John Emms, and Arthur Wardle. The works of these influential artists inspired all dog art that followed, from Pablo Picasso’s Dachshund “Lump” to the poker playing dogs of C.M. Coolidge. Contemporary canine artists still honor the tradition of their predeces- sors—but they do so with a technological twist. Today’s artists continue to work in clay and bronze, and oil on canvas, but their work is just as likely to appear online as in a gallery. Modern masters honor traditional methods even as they embrace the hi-tech. In this way, they are not unlike today’s breeders who produce dogs to the standards with the aid of health scores and digital databases.
The gifted artists whose work appears on the following pages are a breed apart. We are pleased to share their many gifts with Showsight readers. Enjoy!
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