Booker - COMPLETE

"Booker" Oil 18"x24"

My commission "Booker", he is the Trial Challenge Series Grand Champion at Happ's in Ethel, Wa.

Thanks to Maureen at Happ's for all her hard work putting on these shows!

Blabbing and Blogging

“It’s a mistake for a sculptor or a painter to speak or write very often about his job. It releases tension needed for his work.”
Henry Moore



Something for us to all think about! I can recognize the truth in this. Can you?

I'll post art soon!

Daydreamer

"Daydreamer"
Oil 8"x10"

I really felt like painting tonight but am still procrastinating about finishing the mustang painting so.....this is a small, 1 hour study, taken from a picture I took of a friends horse. I should really consider doing a larger version since it turned out so pretty. The background I completely made up so I'm a little shocked it turned out this well. Must be my plein air practicing paying off? It feels nice to have something turn out once in a while so I'll take it!
I'm noticing that I am an excellent procrastinater. Instead of painting I can manage to burn up my time on the computer searching for art, or blogging (yes, I'm procrastinating right now!), or even deep cleaning my house - which lets face it is NOT usually my idea of a good time. Maybe I need to put aside the mustang for another year - or put it in the junk pile...? As I type that I still feel that that painting can be saved and should be finished. So we'll see what happens. I do have a strong desire to paint, so if I continue to avoid painting the mustang I'm going to just paint whatever else strikes me - like this napping, black Quarter Horse.....I'm at peace just looking at him....

Remembering

My dear friend Syd passed away today. She was an amazing artist. She loved animals. She was a very successful breeder and trainer of champion German Shephards. She was a horsewoman. She loved to read, and to learn. She was highly intelligent. I loved her. She was direct, honest, proud and sensitive. She loved life and nature and she loved to paint. She was an excellent art teacher with an exceptional eye for good art and correct anatomy. She would tear my paintings apart....but then build me up so I would keep working on them.
Very rarely do you meet someone who's friendship does not depend upon having grown up together, gone to school together, have kids the same age, you're the same age....etc. The friendship that Syd and I shared was so easy - we were simply the same person on the inside. We shared almost every single hobby, passion, and interest, and the ones we didn't share didn't matter because we understood one another.
Syd, I hope all those dogs welcomed you at the gate. When I hear thunder I will think of you yelling at them to "SHUT UP!!!" I will never forget you, and I will keep painting. Love, me

The Red Tool Shed - high key

Last night the evening sun was so pretty. I pulled out my equipment and decided to do a value study while Russ was mowing the field the cows were in. I had less than an hour to work with but the kids actually cooperated and played contentedly. I painted this using high values only, and I think I should focus on my values, and how they relate to eachother, more often. I can tell now that I put more energy into mixing the colors I see, and my paintings lack in correctness of value. I read last night in John Carlsons' "Guide to Landscape Painting" that if the values are correct it really doesn't matter what the colors are. Also an artist friend of mine Kathryn Townsend documented on her blog some excersizes in black and white I found truly inspiring. And so I keep learning......and loving the process.
I find so much joy in painting outside, and I am already feeling renewed and ready to tackle those unfinished studio paintings. "Montana" and the painting of the fall pumpkins both still lie unfinished next to the easel.

"Magic"

Here is the finished portrait of "Magic" a very talented medicine hat paint gelding. He has the honor of taking the Grand Champion title at Happ's 2009 trail challenge series! What a good boy! Congratulations Judy!! Special thanks to Wendi Ross of Blue Ribbon Photography for providing the photograph used to paint this. See her work at www.blueribbonequinephotography.com .