Robert K. Abbett - Canine Beginnings

July 31, 1998

First things first; how does a painting of a sporting dog come into being - what sets the artist to work and is a prescribed routine always used to put such a painting into the process?

No to the last question and as for the first, artists I know have told me they enter the picture making routine from a variety of avenues. I’m excluding commissioned work for now, it being initiated by someone else’s idea and will warrant it’s own future page. On other occasions the picture begins pretty much with the artist’s own mental/visual gymnastics.

A setting can obviously spark a new painting; if I’ve been afield for an afternoon, I’ll most always see a cover or woodsy corner suggesting some kind of sporting dog business and my mind’s eye will start to lay out and cast the drama to fit it. Though the dogs are the featured players of many such pictures, in "A Moment of Anticipation" the germ of the idea was the scene; the old oak tree and its broken branch along with the light effects showing me the basic plan for a picture.

Often a specific action - the sport itself - may itself suggest a painting, as can the time of day or a color scheme, perhaps a certain painting technique or even a story line - starting with any of these are bone fide methods of beginning a piece and all have worked out well for this artist many times over.

Also there’s a certain amount of reporter in me - and when I’ve been to a field trial or watched someone out training their Brittany or running their Lab, I have the urge to record that particular activity so others can see it and hopefully share my interest and enjoyment. For me It has to be done with pictures - words are not enough - and I could never do a painting and shut it away where it would not be seen. As my dentist so aptly put it during one of our typical (one-way)
conversations, art is, after all, a form of communication.

I’ve found having a particular breed in mind is a frequent catalyst: perhaps a specific dog I’ve seen will get my artistic juices flowing and then my mental image may also dictate the action and even the kind of background to be used. It’s been said that I specialize in setters and pointers - not true - I would never limit myself to that extent, but I have found both these breeds fascinating to observe and to paint. The anatomy of the pointer is always close to the surface making for a very exciting looking animal. The setter’s thicker, luxurious coat is an obvious contrast - I’ve done many paintings of both dogs together for that reason.

In the final analysis however, it has to be the dogs that are my primary inspiration. When I see a handsome bird dog freeze on point it can actually light up an otherwise ordinary piece of real estate; and I automatically begin to see it as a finished and framed oil painting hanging on someone’s wall.

While I love to paint the out of doors and have long been drawn to the textures and earthy colors of autumn - the sporting dogs are always there to breathe their beauty and stunning vitality into these scenes.

As in anything, there are snags which can dull one’s inspiration and slow the best of intentions: things don’t always proceed as ideally as we might hope. But if I stay open to any and all of these several ingredients of a good sporting dog picture, I’ll never run out of ways to paint these superb animals no matter from whence the genesis my occur.

-30-



	The Brush's Point Robert K. Abbett A column on the art of sporting dogs for Canine Images The Beginnings Published October issue, 1998
	July 31, 1998 First things first; how does a painting of a sporting dog come into being - what sets the artist to work and is a prescribed routine always used to put such a painting into the process? No to the last question and as for the first, artists I know have told me they enter the picture making routine from a variety of avenues. I’m excluding commissioned work for now, it being initiated by someone else’s idea and will warrant it’s own future page. On other occasions the picture begins pretty much with the artist’s own mental/visual gymnastics. A setting can obviously spark a new painting; if I’ve been afield for an afternoon, I’ll most always see a cover or woodsy corner suggesting some kind of sporting dog business and my mind’s eye will start to lay out and cast the drama to fit it. Though the dogs are the featured players of many such pictures, in "A Moment of Anticipation" the germ of the idea was the scene; the old oak tree and its broken branch along with the light effects showing me the basic plan for a picture. Often a specific action - the sport itself - may itself suggest a painting, as can the time of day or a color scheme, perhaps a certain painting technique or even a story line - starting with any of these are bone fide methods of beginning a piece and all have worked out well for this artist many times over. Also there’s a certain amount of reporter in me - and when I’ve been to a field trial or watched someone out training their Brittany or running their Lab, I have the urge to record that particular activity so others can see it and hopefully share my interest and enjoyment. For me It has to be done with pictures - words are not enough - and I could never do a painting and shut it away where it would not be seen. As my dentist so aptly put it during one of our typical (one-way) conversations, art is, after all, a form of communication. I’ve found having a particular breed in mind is a frequent catalyst: perhaps a specific dog I’ve seen will get my artistic juices flowing and then my mental image may also dictate the action and even the kind of background to be used. It’s been said that I specialize in setters and pointers - not true - I would never limit myself to that extent, but I have found both these breeds fascinating to observe and to paint. The anatomy of the pointer is always close to the surface making for a very exciting looking animal. The setter’s thicker, luxurious coat is an obvious contrast - I’ve done many paintings of both dogs together for that reason. In the final analysis however, it has to be the dogs that are my primary inspiration. When I see a handsome bird dog freeze on point it can actually light up an otherwise ordinary piece of real estate; and I automatically begin to see it as a finished and framed oil painting hanging on someone’s wall. While I love to paint the out of doors and have long been drawn to the textures and earthy colors of autumn - the sporting dogs are always there to breathe their beauty and stunning vitality into these scenes. As in anything, there are snags which can dull one’s inspiration and slow the best of intentions: things don’t always proceed as ideally as we might hope. But if I stay open to any and all of these several ingredients of a good sporting dog picture, I’ll never run out of ways to paint these superb animals no matter from whence the genesis my occur. -30-