"Tang Dynasty Prancer"

"Tang Dynasty Prancer", oil on linen, 12x12



My father, who passed away this past October at the age of 92 years, passed along his great love of horses to me. As I've mentioned in previous posts, as a young artist horses were the subject of many of my paintings; many of them my Dad's. The hearts of artists and poets throughout the ages have
been captivated by the beauty, power and grace of these wonderful creatures.

My Dad had such a way with them, such a gentle touch; it was apparent to all who knew him. Now, I do not see a horse without thinking of my Dad and the while I paint them, I think of him, as well.

As a still life painter, the Tang Dynasty horse has become a great source of inspiration for me. Within the Tang society (China 618-906AD) the horse played an important role and was revered for their vigor and strength. They symbolized strength and status, as well as reflected on the personality of their owners and the prosperous and powerful Tang Dynasty itself.

Ceramic models of the owner's horse have been found preserved in their tombs. Upon death, many Chinese horsemen were buried with clay horse sculptures and horses on which human figures are mounted, occupy a special place.  These would often be found either preceding or following the coffin.

The Tang horse portrayed in my painting "Tang Dynasty Prancer", 12x12, oil on linen, is not an authentic Tang horse but a reproduction which occupies a special place in my studio and which I treasure nonetheless.   I've painted a number of them which I'll display in future posts. 

I hope you enjoy their elegant, and often dramatic, beauty as much as I enjoy sculpting them with paint.  For me, with each brushstroke, the ancient horse comes to life.

This framed painting is available for purchase at: [Space] Untitled or for further information please email me at bobbi@bobbidunlop.com

Please see the post above to see this painting framed. 







Under Rembrandt's Watchful Eye....

Bobbi's Studio - location of her workshops
It's hard to believe that summer is now behind us and a glorious fall has once again arrived in all its splendor. For me, the wonderous colours and earthy smells of cool, crisp fall mornings always elicits memories of the first days back to school. September is also a time for me to regroup, to shake myself free from those lazy days of the summer months and once again reassess my goals, my direction. It's a time to re-focus. To concentrate on learning; that never ending quest to know more and always, to do better.
And so it was with my recent workshop: "Painting the Still Life in Oil, From Life", September 19th and 20th. The participants arrived at my studio with serious intentions of getting down to the business of learning! What an incredible group! Energetic, attentive and eager for the challenge at hand. These artists worked hard and left exhausted, yet very happy and content with themselves.
Thank you to those who attended. The workshop was a rewarding experience for me, as well. I look forward to seeing you again in my studio workshops and to welcoming others for the same exciting challenges!
My next workshop is: "Painting the Figure in Oil, From Life", October 17th & 18th, 2009. For further details please visit my website Bobbi Dunlop Fine Art or my demonstration blog Dunlop Demonstrations

For my complete Fall 2009 Workshop Schedule, see the archived links to the right or go to my website's "Events and Workshops" link.