Who loves horses? Artist Deborah Butterfield also raises and trains them. Gallop along with her and draw these beautiful beasts on the run!
1.
Deborah Butterfield was born on May 7, 1949, in San Diego, California. As a young woman, Butterfield was drawn between the pursuit of a career in art, or a career in the veterinary sciences. She had a great love of horses all of her life, and, although she ultimately chose to pursue art, she continued to work with horses.
2.
Butterfield lives on a ranch in Montana, where she raises and rides thoroughbreds and trains them in dressage, a highly formal, precise method of showing them. Butterfield is fascinated with the horses’ movement and physiology, which is apparent in her sculpture.
3.
Although she began her sculpting career with realistic, plaster mares, Butterfield’s horses have evolved over the years. She now constructs her horses from recycled and natural objects, building them over an armature of wire. The horses each have a natural, realistic pose, although the materials she uses are unusual. She eliminates most of the detail of her subjects, focusing on the horse’s posture and form (see <EM>Palomino</EM>, 1981, or <EM>Riot</EM>).
4.
To create a realistic horse drawing of your own, find pictures of Butterfield’s sculpture, as well as photographs of horses in motion. Edward Muybridge photographs highlight animals in motion, and would be a wonderful resource for this study.
5.
Use Crayola® Crayons to draw a picture of one or more running or galloping horses. Include the horse’s main parts and eliminate unnecessary details, much as Butterfield does. Color your horse realistically, focusing on the horse rather than its environmen
6.
Compare your horse drawing to the horses constructed by Butterfield and Muybridge’s photographs. How are they similar? How are they different?
Explore and respond to the work of Marcel Duchamp, creating a collage of a reworked face.
How can your class become a community of learners? These self-portrait paper dolls encourage everyone to become better f
Library windows are just the place to share reviews of favorite books. Use Crayola® Washable Window Markers or Crayola W
Stick up for sharp-toothed creatures who get a bad rap! They are just trying to survive like all other animals.
What’s at the center of a galaxy? A black hole! Look WAY beyond a black hole by creating a vivid galaxy and observation
Feet come in all different sizes. Find out just how wide the range can be in your age range while exercising your graphi
St. George’s Day (or any day) is the perfect time to celebrate brave deeds. Create colorful bravery badges for yourself
Who is your hero or heroine? Create a unique, handmade book that tells the story of bravery, such as Kate Shelley’s rema