Featured Artist Barbara Schacher

Enjoy this amazing portfolio from artist Barbara Schacher and be sure to visit her website for more.

 

 

My love of western art began with a shy, young girl sketching the horses she loved and a way of life she treasured!  As a young girl, I absolutely loved ranch life, especially galloping across lush, green pastures (trusty cattle dog in tow) and exploring the surrounding enchanted woodlands on those long, warm, summer days of childhood.

 

 

During the frigid winter months of my youth, I’d spend my trapped indoor hours freehand sketching horse adventures from memories still fresh in my mind of our earlier summer excursions…

 

 

A drawing of my brother and his friend riding “Silver” and “Paco” on an early spring morning captures, with a charm and warmth unique to graphite, a moment representative of the melancholy of that long ago chapter in my life… a much more simple and innocent time.

 

 

“Just Another Western Workday” also invokes familiar, fond memories of the ranch lifestyle as well. However, the gratification I felt upon completion of this piece was derived from hearing my client will cherish it for the very same reasons. For me, that’s the most rewarding bonus an artist can receive!

 

 

Growing up on a ranch overlooking the Clearwater River Valley, though, is just where the inspiration for my pencil art begins. Much like the pristine, winding river of my childhood, my life and art have taken many exciting twists and turns.

 

 

My art now also includes wildlife pencil drawings inspired by the amazing wildlife and natural surroundings I’ve always enjoyed. For instance, “Black Bear on Newsome Creek” is comprised of a combination of several reference photos of a black bear photographed several years ago, combined with background elements from scenery photos and even a bit of my own imagination.

 

 

Conversely, while working on “Mountain Lion Hideout”, I worked diligently to remain true to every detail of an amazing reference photo taken by my husband just a few years ago.

For collage commissions, I combine several reference photos, each having special meaning to my clients, in order to create a pencil collage reflecting, for instance, their son’s passion for bull riding, the western lifestyle and love of country.

 

 

My main objective is to create drawings with a story to tell, adding meaning and interest while capturing and including as much detail as possible. I also love to use shading techniques that create light, shadow and contrast to increase the overall realistic feel of my drawings for clients, collectors and others viewing my art.

Upcoming pencil projects include a Friesian Horse grouping containing three drawings per set.

 

 

The process of putting pencil to paper to create realistic art provides me with a solace like no other. Receiving positive, complimentary feedback from those who share a similar passion for art is truly the icing on the cake and the inspiration that keeps me striving to improve with each stroke of the pencil!

 

Barbara Schacher invites you to follow her on  Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

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