ARTIST'S STATEMENT
For me, drawing animals is an innate gift. My family always had horses, dogs, cats and all the creatures that we five children could easily collect. At three, my favorite toy was an easel and chalk. Recognizing my passion, my parents allowed me to start art lessons at the age of five. By age nine, I was attending all day class every Saturday at the Art Institute of Chicago with live models and the entire museum in which to work. It was a young artist’s heaven.
We then moved to Cincinnati where horses and high school took precedence until I entered Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Even after I received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design, Miami continued to be a focus in my artistic life. I have juried shows for the Miami Museum, critiqued student portfolios for admission and recruited talented young artists for the School of Fine Art.
Throughout my life, painting and drawing have been a source of solace, joy, accomplishment and income. Like many always poor college students, I sold my work in order to buy supplies for the next assignment. As a young stay-at-home mother, my crafty talents helped me to be a star in my children’s eyes. At the same time, I was the artistic guru for innumerable civic fundraisers, charitable galas and corporate events.
After my children were grown, it was time to get back to my real artistic passion and time to make my mark in the art world. It was natural for me to gravitate to what I knew best and had observed all my life… Horses and dogs. My mentor, Margaret Lewis, who died in 2009, was a brilliant portrait artist and worked with me for twenty years. She was “old school” critical of my work and her excellent command of the English language allowed for little misconception.
As for my portraits, no one is more surprised than me to see them evolve on the watercolor paper. They just come up from the colors and shapes that I see. I know the paintings evoke great emotion from the owners when they see the finished piece. That shared joy, that feeling at that moment, is the real reward of my portrait work.
About the Artist: Lynn Carlisle (1944-2012)
EXPERIENCE
2010 - 2011
•
"Sporting Life, The Essence of Aiken", Aiken Center for the Arts, Aiken, SC
"Sporting Life, The Essence of Aiken", Aiken Center for the Arts, Aiken, SC•"Seven Hills Alumni Art Show", Cincinnati, OH
"Seven Hills Alumni Art Show", Cincinnati, OH•“Southern Menagerie”, Junior League of Raleigh’s A Shopping SPREE! juried show, Raleigh, NC
“Southern Menagerie”, Junior League of Raleigh’s A Shopping SPREE! juried show, Raleigh, NC2008 - 2009
•One man exhibit, "Dogs of Aiken", Aiken County Historical Museum, Aiken, SC
One man exhibit, "Dogs of Aiken", Aiken County Historical Museum, Aiken, SC•One man show, "Recent Work", Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum, Aiken, SC
One man show, "Recent Work", Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum, Aiken, SC•"The Tame and the Wild", Handwright Gallery, New Canaan, CT
"The Tame and the Wild", Handwright Gallery, New Canaan, CT•"Annual Invitational Sporting Art", Aiken, SC
"Annual Invitational Sporting Art", Aiken, SC2007
•Botswana Predator Conservation Trust benefit, New York City, NY
Botswana Predator Conservation Trust benefit, New York City, NY•"Master of Foxhounds Centennial Traveling Art Exhibition", Crossgate Gallery: 21 cities including New York, Boston, Chicago, Tampa, Toronto, Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Houston
"Master of Foxhounds Centennial Traveling Art Exhibition", Crossgate Gallery: 21 cities including New York, Boston, Chicago, Tampa, Toronto, Los Angeles, Denver, Atlanta, Baltimore, and Houston2005 - 2006
•Annual Invitational Sporting Art Gala, Aiken, SC
Annual Invitational Sporting Art Gala, Aiken, SC•Aiken Center for the Arts 2005 Gallery Series, Aiken, SC
Aiken Center for the Arts 2005 Gallery Series, Aiken, SC2003-2004
•“The Gala Sporting Art Show and Sale”, Aiken, SC
“The Gala Sporting Art Show and Sale”, Aiken, SC•One Man Exhibit and Lecture, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH
One Man Exhibit and Lecture, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, OH•“Sporting Dog Exhibit”, National Forest Foundation, Millbrook, NY
“Sporting Dog Exhibit”, National Forest Foundation, Millbrook, NY•Museum of Hounds and Hunting, Morven Park, Leesburg, VA
Museum of Hounds and Hunting, Morven Park, Leesburg, VA2002
•One Man Show “Skijoring”, Simpson-Gallagher Gallery, Cody, WY
One Man Show “Skijoring”, Simpson-Gallagher Gallery, Cody, WY•One Man Show “Skijoring”, Leadville, CO
One Man Show “Skijoring”, Leadville, CO•One Man Show “Sporting Dogs”, Cincinnati, OH
One Man Show “Sporting Dogs”, Cincinnati, OHEDUCATION
Student of the late Margaret Lewis, portrait artistIndependent study with Sam Savitt, James Crow and Daniel GreeneIndependent study at the Art Institute of ChicagoBachelor of Fine Arts, Miami University, Oxford, OHMEDIUM
Work is primarily watercolor or oil on linen.
Usually by commission, and held in private collections in the US, UK and Australia.
COLLECTIONS
National Steeplechase Association
Kentucky Horse Park Museum, Lexington, KY
Benjamin H Hardaway III MFH, former president Masters of Foxhounds Association
Dr. John K Griggs, owner of" Warm Spell", Eclipse Award winner for Steeplechase
Arnold Garvey, former editor," Horse and Hound Magazine" (UK)
Jeff Ansell, former president, Iams/Eukanuba dog food
Museum of Hounds and Hunting, Morven Park, VA
Jim Meads, premier British sporting art photographer
