The Bryn Mawr Hound Show is fast approaching and I'm busily putting together an outdoor exhibition for the event. The weather is very predictable this time of year. It's either blazingly hot or raining. Last year it was like an oven. This year, considering the wet spring we've had, it may be the latter.
I love outdoor venues for exhibiting. You get to see a lot of the action, take photos and meet a lot of the competitors and spectators. It's a wonderful combination. Of course, there's a downside too. Putting up and taking down an exhibit in one day is very hard work, and it doesn't get any easier the older you get. There's a 10' x 10' tent to pitch, GridWall to assemble, paintings to hang, not to mention packing & unpacking your vehicle for the excursion. Tables, chairs, tools for repairing anything that breaks, painting and photography equipment, PR materials and a hat are just a few of the items on my list. An assistant or helper is also recommended. I usually set up my booth myself, so it's possible to do it alone, but it's always nicer when you have someone helping.
If you've never attended a hound show, I recommend just going to watch the first time. Take a camera and some sketching materials of course, but mostly just observe. I find when I have a camera, I miss a lot because I'm too busy taking photographs. It also doesn't help you to train your memory.
First and foremost, there are the hounds. Splendidly colored in patches and splashes of white, black and brown, made even more interesting by the play of sunlight filtering through the trees onto their coats, one could spend a lifetime trying to capture the dazzling effect. Handlers run hither and yon in white kennel coats and black hats, sometimes leading three or four hounds at a time. The excitement is electrifying. Dapper judges stand in the middle of each ring, consulting their programs and making notes, while hounds circle the ring or stand attentively anticipating the appearance of a biscuit out of a handler's pocket! The eye is definitely quicker than the hand!
Spectators' fashions run the gamut from jeans and muckers to Seersucker suits, fanciful Kentucky Derby hats and dressy dresses. Hats are"de rigueur" for ladies. Even a baseball cap with a little black dress is better than no hat at all. My rule of thumb is to take everything from a winter parka to a bathing suit. That way you're sure to be ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at you. I did say earlier that Bryn Mawr's weather is either unbearably hot or raining, but I've been in storms with gale force winds trying to keep my tent and artwork from being lifted off the ground!
I love doing pen & ink sketches of the action once I'm back in the studio. I work from photos for this. I don't have the ability to draw from memory as well as I'd like, so I rely on photos to capture the action. My favorite classes are the Junior Handlers and the Pack Class. I've heard it said that judges for the junior handlers class leave their cars running in the parking lot! The classes feature children of various ages, from tiny toddlers to teenagers, showing hounds in their respective age divisions. This is the only class where the handlers, not the hounds, are judged, so it doesn't matter if they have an older hound who doesn't have perfect conformation. In fact, an old veterans is often preferable for this class, since they know the drill!
The pack classes at the end of the day feature five couple of hounds (10) with the huntsman and whipper-in showing off their pack. The pageantry of the hunting field is quite evident here, complete with scarlet hunt coats, black caps and white breeches. The judges are looking for a pack that hunts together and obeys the huntsman. The lighting is always wonderful at this time of day, when the setting sun's light is very warm and the shadows are long and cool.
The Championship is awarded at the end of the day and the winning hound is presented with all sorts of ribbons and trophies, as good as any they hand out at Westminster.
When it's all over and the Champion Hound has been selected, you have a bunch of dust covered paintings, a car to pack up and a long drive home. But it's always a day of fun and if you're an animal painter and you've never seen a hound show, you really need to add it to your list of things to do at least once.
If you go:
Arrive early so you can get acquainted with where the action will take place and when each class is scheduled to begin. You won't want to miss the Junior Handlers classes or the Championship at the end of the day. In addition to the items mentioned earlier, bring plenty of water, rain gear, a folding chair, a hat and snacks. You'll be glad you did!
For more information go to: http://www.bmhoundshow.org/home.htm
CMC
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