Gunther's veterinary and Peace Corps work has taken her overseas and given her a more international view of animals. She was a member of the Peace Corps between 2002 and 2004 and was stationed in Tanzania. After her first year of veterinary school she spent time in Pakistan. The experience with exotic animals in both locations has inspired pieces of art. "I would love to do more painting of things I see traveling abroad; it gives a different perspective on things," she said. One of her more recent pieces depicts water buffaloes from a summer she spent in Pakistan. "I took a lot of pictures there," she said. "I knew I wanted to paint water buffalo and I kept coming back to it. I had to paint them." She said when she is painting she loses herself in the process. "When I do it, time flies by," she said. "I'm excited about the picture when I first start. I don't know how I'm going to get there and sometimes it's a lot different from the original conception. I work on it until I'm happy with where it is. "I really enjoy the process, I think about the animals a lot, and it brings me closer to them."
Tanzania RPCV Gudrun Gunther pursues career in art, veterinary medicine
WSU student pursues career in art, veterinary medicine
Caption: Archimedes: “My mom’s dressage horse, Archimedes, is 10 yrs old and a very sweet horse.”
By Omie Drawhorn, Daily News staff writer
Posted on: Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Gudrun Gunther has always had a soft spot for animals.
From riding horses to taking care of family pets while growing up, Gunther always felt compassion for her four-legged friends.
So it was no surprise that her passion led her to study veterinary medicine at Washington State University.
Her love of animals also brings out her artistic side, as she paints in oil on stretched canvas.
The vet student and artist's work is on display at WSU's Animal Health Library.
"I've painted and drawn for as long as I can remember, starting in classes in high school and college. Animals have always been my primary focus," she said. "They have so much personality, just like people."
Gunther, 29, has painted her own pets and her parents' pets, in addition to animals she has seen during her travels.
"It helps to have a bond and understanding for their personality, specialness and different moods," she said.
She tries to capture that something extra in her personal work, as well as commissioned work and paintings for friends.
She said she likes to take a day or so to really get to know the animal before she starts painting.
"Being a veterinarian and painting animals actually goes really well together," she said.
The Libby, Mont., native studied neuroscience and art at Brown University before attending veterinary school at WSU.
"The decision to become a veterinarian was a long time coming, not a sudden decision," she said. "It evolved and became obvious that was where I needed to go."
Art is also something she feels like she needs in her life.
"If I don't do it I get anxious," she said. "It's something I need to do. It ties in well with getting to know animals and having empathy and wanting to take care of them."
Gunther's veterinary and Peace Corps work has taken her overseas and given her a more international view of animals.
She was a member of the Peace Corps between 2002 and 2004 and was stationed in Tanzania. After her first year of veterinary school she spent time in Pakistan.
The experience with exotic animals in both locations has inspired pieces of art.
"I would love to do more painting of things I see traveling abroad; it gives a different perspective on things," she said.
One of her more recent pieces depicts water buffaloes from a summer she spent in Pakistan.
"I took a lot of pictures there," she said. "I knew I wanted to paint water buffalo and I kept coming back to it. I had to paint them."
She said when she is painting she loses herself in the process.
"When I do it, time flies by," she said. "I'm excited about the picture when I first start. I don't know how I'm going to get there and sometimes it's a lot different from the original conception. I work on it until I'm happy with where it is.
"I really enjoy the process, I think about the animals a lot, and it brings me closer to them."
Gunther has shown her work in the past but it's hard to find the time as a full-time student.
One of her professors, Steven Hines, came up with the idea to display her work in the Animal Science Library after she painted a portrait of an animal for him.
"It's a wonderful place for students to study, and we got to talking, and he asked if I was willing to part with a couple pieces for a semester," she said.
Her work also has been featured in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
She plans to pursue veterinary medicine and art simultaneously after graduation, which takes the pressure off making money to live on as an artist.
"I don't want fashions dictating what I do and don't paint," she said.
if you go
WHAT: Gudrun Gunther's artwork
WHERE: Wegner Hall - Room 170, the Animal Health Library, Washington State University campus
WHEN: Through the end of the semester
Omie Drawhorn can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 238, or by e-mail at odrawhorn@dnews.com.
