Sculpture Workshop with Susan Carlton Sifton welcomes all skill levels

Known throughout the world for her work with Breyer Model Horses, and chosen to sculpt such equine sports legends as American Pharoah, Cigar, Smarty Jones and Ruffian, Susan Carlton Sifton has a feeling for the horse that is hard to put into words. She understands more than their mechanics. She captures their soul and spirit in her work.

Susan will host a one day equine Sculpture workshop at Chilao School on June 17, welcoming artists of all experience levels. A suggested donation of $20.00 is the cost, and contributions to a potluck-style lunch are welcomed.

Engaging, easy going, and generous with her love of all things equine, Susan's focus is simple...building the artist's muscle memory by creating. Whether you have experience, or have never touched clay or modeling epoxy, Susan's knowledge and enthusiasm will certainly inspire the creative process.

Susan welcomes artists to bring anything from works in progress to bare armatures.

Every sculpture starts with a framework, an armature. That armature needs to be accurate, because everything you build onto it will be affected by its shape and sturdiness. Susan makes her own armatures.

“I create my own simple armatures of galvanized fence wire. It has the benefit of being inexpensive, readily available at any large hardware or feed store and comes in a variety of thicknesses. I take three strands, and use vice grips to twist the strands together in the middle like a coat hanger one way, stop and twist the other way to form the spine. That leaves three wires at each end to be the head and fore legs, and the tail and hind legs, which I bend into a mock-skeleton with bends at the major joints.”

When you see the end result of Susan’s efforts, there is a feeling that it was easy for her to make the sculptures we cherish…that perhaps it came effortlessly. True art, however, is rarely effortless. Every artist faces personal challenges when they create.

“Honestly, the biggest hurdle I face when I sit down to sculpt a horse is to discipline myself to remember that if I have done my homework properly, my first go at a sculpture is the freshest and most honest and to leave it alone. It may not be as nitpicky accurate at it could be, but it is the most interesting and most honest representation of the horse’s presence. If I forget that, and start rethinking parts, I can lose sight of the impression as a whole and over work a sculpture.”

How does Susan know when a piece is finished?

“The best way for me to judge if a horse is done is when I look into the eyes of someone who knows the horse, and they see not a sculpture, but their horse. The best way to critique a sculpture is through the eyes of a horseman with a good eye for horses.”

Located at an elevation of 5,200 feet in the heart of the Angeles National Forest, Chilao School hosts arts, cultural and environmental workshops from April through November. Susan’s sculpture workshop is the opening event for Models in the Mountains 2016, a model horse enthusiasts’ gathering which includes a model horse show on Saturday.

EVENT DETAILS:
Friday June 17 2016 - 10 AM Chilao School, Angeles National Forest
$20.00 Suggested Donation
Bring anything from bare armatures to works in progress, or create an armature at the workshop
All levels of experience welcome. Lunch/refreshments included. Potluck contributions to
lunch menu welcome
Directions to Chilao School:
We are located in the heart of the Angeles National Forest, just off of Highway 2
in Chilao Campground
Do Not rely on GPS or Google to reach Chilao School - we are off the grid
From the 210 freeway in La Canada, take Angeles Crest Highway (Highway 2 North)
26 miles to Chilao Campground atmile marker 49.69. Turn left into campground and follow signs
Models in the Mountains 2016
http://modelsinthemountains.weebly.com
https://www.facebook.com/modelsinthemountains2016
A High Desert Bandits Production hosted by Chilao School,owned and operated by Redbird - http://www.RedbirdsVision.org