Flat Out. Acrylic on board, 14 3/8 X 18 3/8 in. Copyright 1985, Bob Kuhn. Collection of the National Museum of Wildlife Art (Jackson Hole, Wyoming).
Bob Kuhn, American painter, died at his home in Arizona on October 1st, 2007. Kuhn was born in 1920 in Buffalo New York and from an early age was interested in drawing animals. In 1937 he attended the Pratt Institute in New York to refine his skills. As a young man, he used his talents to create cover art for such magazines as Field and Stream and Outdoor Life during the 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s (the F&S website has compiled a number of these covers into a series of webpages: http://www.fieldandstream.com/fields…669252,00.html ). At age 24, his drawings were used to illustrate argueably the most popular dog book of all time, Jim Kjellgard’s Big Red One.
In the 1970, following several highly successful one-man shows of his paintings, Kuhns left his illustrator’s desk to paint full-time in his studio. During the early years, his art focussed on African wildlife, but as times changed and it became more difficult to travel throughout Africa, he began painting North American wildife, and it this body of work for which he is most well known.
During the 1980’s and 1990’s, Kuhn enjoyed a great deal of professional success, winning such awards as the 1991 National Cowboy Museum’s Prix de West Award, the 1991 Rungius Medal from the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, Wyoming, and the 2005 Wilderness Spirit Award from the Wilding Art Museum for his contributions to a “better understanding and appreciation of America’s wilderness.”
Kuhn’s animals are rarely at rest, rather they leap, run and chase each other across the surface of his paintings. In addition to many field studies for each painting, Kuhn was not opposed to using photographs and watching videos of animals in slow motion to observe how they moved. Of Kuhn, fellow wildlife artist Robert Bateman said, “In the two most important areas of wildlife art, Bob Kuhn is the peerless champion. First, he is the best living artist in the area of understanding animals and their movements. Secondly, in the realm of technique of both drawing and painting Bob has a sense of flair, spirit, and grace that literally soars.”
Kuhn’s official website: http://www.kuhnsnhuk.com (which I actually couldn’t get on to).
References: (collected online October 18th)
National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, United States.
Artist Biography: http://www.wildlifeart.org/Collectio…%20Biographies
Article on the Artist: http://www.wildlifeart.org/CuratorsP…kDate=20020703
National Cowboy Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States.
Press Release: http://www.nationalcowboymuseum.org/…l/3_29_06.html
Field and Stream’s blog, “Field Notes”
http://fieldandstream.blogs.com/news…ering-wil.html
“Brush with action - paintings of wildlife artist Bob Kuhn - Illustration”
Lisa Drew. National Wildlife. August-Sept 1994.
findarticles.com: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m…32/ai_15638963
What a whirlwind! The Reflections of Nature show was even more fun than I imagined it would be. I met a lot of new people, made some new friends, and just had an incredible time!
My work was spread out over four classes in three divisions of Event 4: Painting and Drawing, and it did quite well, with every piece winning a ribbon of some sort.
Catch Up! Mallard Ducklings at the Reflections of Nature Wildlife Show, 2007.
In the Miniatures Division, Catch Up! took first and sold to a lovely couple from Calgary (the husband is a stunning wood carver, entered an amazing life-size Barn Owl).
In the Painting Division, African Dawn: Lions - the scratchboard formerly known as Dawn: African Lions - took first in it’s class (Mammals Head only). Oddly enough, I didn’t seem to take a photo of African Dawn up at the show?
Grizzly at the Reflections of Nature Show, 2007.
And Grizzly took second in it’s class (Plain Portrait).
Great-horned Owl at the Reflections of Nature Show, 2007.
In the Monochromatic Division, Great-horned Owl took first in it’s class (Bold), first in the Division, and went on to get the third Best in Show ribbon! And it sold to a wonderful couple here in Regina! I was thrilled by the win (and the sale) particularly as it was my first time at this show.
The whole experience, from the art - to the other artists, was amazing! I met a lot of really excellent people and am looking forward to being a new member of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Art Association over the next year.
Well, everything’s framed and packed and I will be in bed tonight by 8pm so that I can be on the road tomorrow morning by 5am to be in Saskatoon by 8am for the Saskatchewan Wildlife Art Association annual Reflections of Nature show.
Here’s who’s coming with me:
Grizzly. Scratchboard with acrylic ink, 12 x 9 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
Jeez, I really ought to take another picture of this guy!! I have had several enquiries about the possibility of reproductions for this board, which is something I will be looking into following the show.
Great Horned Owl. Scratchboard, 10 x 8 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
I enjoyed this board and am quite pleased with how it turned out. I think I’d like to do a series of these sort of tightly composed animal portraits in the future.
Dawn: African Lions. Scratchboard with acrylic ink, 12 x 9 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
I really like the sense of light in this portrait. I’ve also had a few reproduction enquiries about this work as well.
Catch Up! Mallard Ducklings. Scratchboard with acrylic ink, 11 x 4.5 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
I think of all the boards I’ve done recently, this one has been the most fun. I like the concept - a cross-section view of the pond. I think I would like to do a series of “impossible views” - maybe they would be a bit illustrative - but I enjoyed making this board all the same, even if the only creature who’d ever actually see a scene like this is an Anableps (four-eyed fish).
So, if you’re going to be in Saskatoon for the weekend, definitely stop by and say “Hi!” I’d love to talk animals and art with you! October 12, 13 and 14, 2007 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada at the Wheatland D Building on the Saskatchewan Exhibition Grounds. (The Reflections of Nature Show is the largest wildlife art show in Western Canada with over 500 artists scheduled to attend.)
Mourning Autumn. Photograph, 10 x 8 in. Copyright 2007, Tania Nault.
In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. Albert Schweitzer.
I have a lot to be thankful for: good health, two wonderful children, loving husband, work I love. I could easily write a much longer list, but I’d like to spend a little bit thinking about the above quote in the context of my life:
Several times over the course of my life I’ve “lost my way” artistically. For a period of time following my graduating exhibition for my Bachelor of Fine Arts, I felt like I’d been set a-sail without a course, map or compass, and drifted without producing any real work. The person who helped steer me clear of the doldrums was the late Cathy Lauritsen, then Director of the Regina Humane Society and board member of the Wascana Waterfowl Park Society. Working with her resulted in my first one-person show, but more importantly, helped me remember that I am an artist. I also experienced a soul-wrenching fall after my divorce, when I really questioned whether trying to continue my artistic career was at all worth it, even if being driven to create really could be called a gift. And the person who helped me find my way out of that void was my husband, Kevin. His belief in my art and encouragement has helped me to realise that I will not experience reward without risk.
I hope all my fellow Candians had a restful and reflective Thanksgiving… mmm, turkey and pumpkin pie! And next time, I promise to finish the “Who Are Your Artistic Influences?” post. And until then, take a moment to think about those who have helped to rekindle your inner spirit.
I know you expected to come back and read the rest of the answer to the question “Who are your artistic influences?” but I’d like to talk about this instead:
Yesterday morning while listening to CBC Radio One, I caught part of an interview with University of Regina BFA student, Erin Gee, who has a show on at the Fifth Parallel Gallery entitled “Real Space” (Riddell Centre on the University of Regina main campus, Gallery hours are Monday to Friday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm).
“Real Space” is an interactive show made up of the artist and viewer’s profiles created on large poster sheets and hung on the real space of the gallery wall. Each profile has an area for the typical personal information found in online profiles like the viewer’s name, photo/avatar, description, likes/dislikes, as well as an area for other viewers to write messages/comments in response to what they’ve read/seen.
Erin Gee, RealSpace artist.
When I spoke to Gee, she said one of the outcomes she was most curious about was what kind of interactions would take place over the course of the show. I wondered about this myself as I walked through the gallery: some viewers were merely ”lurking” reading the profiles, but not adding one themselves; it seemed a few had made their own profile but once hung, left without “posting” on the other profiles; most created their own profiles and wrote comments on other profiles; while several viewers hung around and chatted after they’d posted their profile and commented on others. Would lasting connections be made? It also occurred to me after I’d posted my own profile, that I’d have to come back every day to see if anyone had responded to my profile or to the comments I’d made on other profiles.
My RealSpace profile.
And why am I writing about this? After all, it doesn’t have any connection to either scratchboard or wildlife art. Well, first off, I found the idea funny: Gee’s show models the language, layout and function of online social networking sites to create a live example of those sites. I think it’s a clever parody, and something that’s clever will catch my attention every time, particularly if I get a chuckle out of it. And it’s not lost on me that I’m right now using a virtual social network (this blog) to comment on a real social network (Real Space) that’s commenting on a virtual social network…
I’m also interested in this work for a second, more serious, reason: I see it as a commentary on social networking in the arts. As I walked around and read the other profiles (when I was there this afternoon over a dozen people had “uploaded” profiles to the gallery walls) I noticed that many had defined themselves as artists. One viewer, for example, used her profile to make a plea for materials for an upcoming art project she was doing, while others made reference to the kind of artwork they produce. As artists we all have a very human and creative need to be seen (otherwise what’s the point - we’d all be happy with the pictures in our heads) and one of the realities of being an artist in the 21st century is the need to make connections that will get our art seen.
As an artist who is trying to grow the business side of my work I’ve been feeling a rather lot of pressure to join a variety of online social networks to get my work “out there.” And I agree that no one is going to find my art if I’m sequestered in a garret, but how deep/meaningful/productive/lucrative are these networks? At what point is it all too much and the time I’m spending online would be better spent back in the studio? Or in time spent developing real contacts with real people in real spaces?
