Art by Todd Lane: Biography

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"Todd. A fellow traveler in the world of wonders." Walter Matia --Sculptor

Todd H. Lane I was born in Washington, D.C. on July 24, 1970 and grew up in Montgomery County Maryland.
I received the majority of my art training at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland. There I studied a wide range of disciplines from advertising art and cartooning to figure drawing and sculpture.
After reading a fascinating article about master wildlife sculptor Bart Walter, I contacted Mr. Walter and volunteered to help out at his Westminster studio doing odd jobs such as cleaning clay, straightening and disassembling armature and building crates used to transport sculptures; all the while picking the brain of the professional artist.
The most important lesson that I learned from Mr. Walter was that, "Most people just look at things. They don't actually *see* them. That is the goal of the artist. To see with uncommon clarity. Once that is accomplished, the rest is easy."
I took his advice and went back to the drawing board. Literally. No longer concerned with sculpting, I was focused on becoming an accurate observer.
During that same time I was studying massage and physical therapy and spent time working as a P.T. assistant in the rehabilitation department of a local hospital.
The year and a half spent studying human anatomy, physiology and kinesiology marked a real turning point . Once I began to understand the arrangement of the muscles and bones, it eliminated my ignorance.
While studying subjects for modeling, I spend time at museums and zoos in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore area, observing, sketching and photographing my subjects.
Our January 2005 safari in Kenya afforded me an opportunity to view African wildlife utterly relaxed in their natural habitat.
The irony is that in Africa, YOU the tourist become the oddity for the animals to stare at. You're in THEIR "zoo."
Through trial and error, I've learned that preparation is by far the most vital and time-consuming aspect of ALL art. If you don't invest the time into researching your subject, your work is doomed from the start. Shortcuts are always obvious in a completed work.
The study of human anatomy has formed the foundation for sculpting all animals. Because virtually every species have scapulas, femurs, and sacrums. They're just arranged a bit differently.
But beyond emphasizing the importance of having a basic understanding of anatomy, any true beginner in sculpture should keep in mind that they are creating a work of art. It's an interpretation. Not a medical illustration. So it's not necessary to become consumed with anatomical accuracy.
Some sculptor once said "learn the anatomy and then forget it."
I usually accept private commissions and show my work at local galleries such as Strathmore Hall and Rockville Arts Place, both in Rockville, Maryland.

We hope you enjoy the art of Todd Harry Lane.