Page 79 - JRT Magazine - 2023 Issue 2

I so admire the 19th century animal artists, Sir
William Landseer, George Stubbs, others who
elevated the form and presence of the dog to fine
art. Rosa Bonheur was a favorite, and by becoming
a successful artist (and quite the rebel), she paved
the way for women artists that followed. Women
were often encouraged to be artists then, but
Rosa surpassed many male contemporaries, even
donning men’s trousers (forbidden for women to
wear in France until 2013!) to blend in at the horse
markets, to study the animals’ anatomy. She is
considered to be the most famous female painter
of the nineteenth century. Rosa’s grand painting
“The Horse Fair”, 8’ x 16’, in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art in NYC, is a marvel to behold.

Thankfully, realist art is in a full throttle revival in the
U.S. with artists teaching artists
the methods of past masters,
handing down techniques and
“secrets” to achieve beauty
and dimension I have been so
fortunate to study with a chosen
few by attending courses in
their studios, participating in
workshops as well as instructional
videos. During the pandemic,
zoom classes offered by top
artists became a wonderful new
access to these highly sought
instructors.

Is there any one thing you wish
you had known at the start of Commission for Seeing Eye
your career? Foundation auction 2021
Modernist art was the popular
concept in the 70’s when I attended college;
realistic art was thought to stay in its past glory.
There may have been seven of these ateliers in
all of the U.S. (Artrenewal.org). Many like me,
were disillusioned and found other artistic venues
such as commercial art, decorative painting, art
history, or other fields. By 2002 there were 14
schools and today, well over 100, with thousands
of students. This did not jive with my life timeline,
but I was fortunate to have found my way to one
in 2008 and I have been engaged in this field ever
since. Better late than never!

Is there any advice you would give to an aspiring

A Worldwide Magazine for the Jack Russell Terrier / Russell Terrier • Issue 2/2023 | 79