Same subject, different perspectives

Eight artists sketched the same model Saturday afternoon, but none of their work looked the same.

And that’s the beauty of Art in the Making, said those who participated in the event at the Resort Plaza Shops in downtown Coeur d’Alene.

“Everybody here, we’re all interested in how other artists see it,” said Rann Haight, an architect and artist who drew with charcoal.

While eight people did a different sketch every half hour when a model in a two-piece swimsuit changed poses, five other artists spent the full three hours painting a different, fully clothed model who stayed put.

Another artist, Mickey Mank, sculpted the head of Gus, a 10-year-old Dalmatian that remained almost as still as the human models.

Although it was Gus’ first session as a model, he’s used to the limelight, said his owner, Don Polk, of Spokane Valley.

“He’s done a lot of Budweiser commercials,” explained Polk, who used to work for the beer company in California.

Brandi Anne Hyder, the fully clothed model, said keeping a pose for so long is a workout, but the artists help.

“You can feel the creative vibe,” she said.

The event was part of Art from the Heart, a weeklong festival put on by the Coeur d’Alene Arts & Culture Alliance.

The pieces created Saturday were not judged and no prizes were given, said Steve Gibbs, owner of The Art Spirit Gallery and organizer of Art in the Making.

“We want it to be a natural, enjoyable, educational demonstration.”