Deborah Dendler Introduces Equine Sculpture

“Trotting Horse” by Deborah Dendler.

Deborah Dendler, resident sculptor of Fish Creek, introduced sculptures of horses this summer. In July, her porcelain relief sculpture, “Trotting Horse,” was exhibited in Auburn, Wash., at the Equine Art 2015 exhibition presented by the Washington Thoroughbred Association.

“Horse sculpture is a totally new direction for me, so I’m especially thrilled to have my work included in equine art exhibitions. For me, everything begins with drawing. I began this sculpture with anatomical drawings of the horse, first drawings of the skeleton in the trotting position and then another drawing of the muscles,” said Dendler.

Dendler’s relief sculpture is loosely based on Leonardo da Vinci’s drawing of a trotting horse, which was a study for his monumental Gran Cavallo sculpture, which was never completed. “All of my life I’ve looked at Leonardo’s drawing and thought that it would make a terrific relief sculpture. So I finally did it, ” says Dendler. “I’m one of many who have attempted to recreate Leonardo’s horse sculpture. It’s almost a rite of passage, kind of like a violinist trying to play the Brahms violin concerto – you have to try, if only to find out how much more work you have left to do.”

Dendler exhibits her work regularly in solo, group and invitational exhibitions nationally and internationally. For more information visit deborahdendler.com.