Wild at Heart. Zoe Schumaker, artist
Please note that due to Western North Carolina’s ongoing recovery after Hurricane Helene, this exhibition has been rescheduled for December
Through Tuesday, October 29, Asheville Gallery of Art will highlight pastelist Zoe F. Schumaker in Wild at Heart, an exhibition of wildlife paintings. There will be an opening reception for the exhibition on Friday, October 4, from 5–7:30 p.m.
Schumaker’s first animal subjects were farm animals. “I would stop by the roadside to photograph cows and goats, visit chicken coops and go on the annual ASAP Farm Tour,” she says. “But I also wanted to paint more iconic wild animals—wolves, bison, raptors, wildcats. To paint these subjects, I’d rely on public domain images. While I was successful in capturing likenesses from other’s images, I never felt like I could get the soul of the animal from a photo.”
The Princess and the Jester. Zoe Schumaker, artist
For larger wildlife, Schumaker says she needs at least a dozen good reference images of the same animal. “I want to observe an animal’s movement, interactions and personality,” she says. “I use all of these things when finalizing a composition and in completing the painting. Without that direct experience, it’s difficult to achieve a moving, compelling likeness.”
The WNC Nature Center has provided Schumaker with the kind of intimate engagement she needs in order to realize her artworks. Schumaker visits at the beginning or end of the day, when it’s less busy. “You start to see patterns in their interactions—who is shy, feisty, playful or affectionate,” she says. “These attributes can inspire a specific painting. I also chatted with volunteers and staff to get their insights into the animals’ personalities and relationships.”
Her process starts with a sketch on newsprint. “I really enjoy doing quick pencil or charcoal sketches, in which I work out the anatomy and play with different poses,” she says. “It’s a spontaneous yet meditative, iterative process.”
Once she’s landed the composition, she’ll do a pencil sketch on pastel paper or board and then start layering pastels with charcoal accents. In the final stages, she focuses on detail in the animal’s face, eyes and fur. She usually has three or four paintings in process at a time. “I like to clip them up on boards around my studio, so I can glance at them occasionally while working on other paintings,” she says. “I like having a lot of ‘wild company’ when I paint.”
Wild at Heart will be an opportunity for fans of the WNC Nature Center to see these beloved animals immortalized in pastel. “And, for those who have not been to the Nature Center, perhaps these paintings will inspire them to visit my wild muses in person,” says Schumaker.
Asheville Gallery of Art is located at 82 Patton Avenue in Asheville, across from Pritchard Park. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. To learn more, call 828.251.5796, visit AshevilleGallery-of-Art.com or follow the gallery’s Facebook page.
