The Hunter

This morning when Addie and I went out to feed and turn the horses out, we were greeted by a huge winged predator. He watched us from his perch on the old Ash tree, as the sun rose in the cold winter sky. When we came back from doing the horses this feathered fellow [ I think he is a Great Gray Owl. ] was still perched, allowing me to run into the house and get my digital and 35mm cameras and he posed, it seemed, so I could get good shots of him. The above shot was with my digital...not a very clear shot, but with my 35mm camera I was able to get up close and personal with him. I can't wait to see how those shots came out. After letting me shoot many reference shots, with a swoosh of his wings he flew at and over me and then off into the woods as if to say "Enough of that!!!"

We had our weekly snow storm yesterday and our sauna is now just about covered with the pile up of white rain. If we wanted to take a sauna and then cool off in the brook behind the shed, there is no way we could...not that we were even thinking about doing that!!

Down the Pen and Ink Road

All the landscape around our farm .. and all the mountains and hills that surround us in Morrill, Maine.. are blanketed with snow. Maybe it is because of this that I have been drawing these little landscapes with pen and ink on paper...all depicting winding roads and trees and grasses. These little "dreamscapes" have been a bit of an escape for me, allowing me to get out from my paint and down from my loft and to sit in my big easy chair with my Corgi and my cat cuddled around me, as I create dream landscapes far different from the world around our little cottage.

Maybe too they are a bit of a metaphor for what has been happening in my life over the past year and a half. A lot of winding roads and up hill climbs............but nothing that I will not be able to conquer in time.

More about that later.......maybe.

The question now is "Will There Be A Harvest? Metaphorically speaking that is!??

For Chip

I have a Pembroke Welsh Corgi....Our Sweet Adeline has often been an artist's model for me in my studio.......but I am always happy to paint more Corgis.

Yet sometimes it is sad to have to paint a "fur kid" after they have past. This is the situation with this handsome Corgi boy. Chip was a 'more than handsome' fellow.. and now is missed by his human mom and feline siblings. I hope this casein will help them to re-live good memories of better times and Corgi kisses.

Two Black Horses

It is raining......foggy and wet around the farm. But our 4 horses wanted to get out ... so they are out and now know the folly of their antics in their stalls. When it is time to come in... I hope they appreciate their clean and dry stalls!!

Today I have been working on a study of a lovely little Morgan in harness, that will be a watercolor at some point. I also am waiting on a casein to dry and wonder if that would be happening today. It is a 16 x 20" gallery wrapped canvas of two driving horses whom I met last year at Acadia. They were not in driving harness, but rather were on their way out of the stables for a stretch walk with their owner, along the carriage roads under the Triad. It probably is best to let this painting sit for another day and work on the other casein painting...a 12 x 12" Thoroughbred racing scene that I have going.

'The Two Blacks' [at Acadia] painting is depicted above......at the point it is today....needs more work...but not today. After the rains.....

Kennebec Starwalker

In last year's 2007 Lobster Bake and Concert held at Skyline Farm in North Yarmouth, Maine, a young lady from West Bath won the animal portrait that I donated for The Skyline Carriage Museum's fund raising silent auction. Becky decided on a head shot and this is the graphite of her handsome one and a half year old colt, Kennebec Starwalker. The colt is of course from the wonderful Morgan line bred by Ms. Margret Gardiner. Becky is going to have some fun with this boy as he grows and fulfills his destiny. Morgan's are such a wonderful breed!!

This scan is a bit cropped, with the original being a bit more open with space around this fellow's intelligent face. My graphite's are usually done as studies for the watercolor commission work to follow, but lately folks are seeming to be very interested in the studies on their own.

A fog is hugging our fields and woods now, after snowing all morning. I think I will go down and put the horses into their stalls. The ending of another day........

Looking to the Future

This little lady, who is named 'Tara', is a 'little one' no more......Friesian fillies grow up to be rather big ladies. This is a watercolor that I finished just last week and finally the snow stopped enough for me to be able to get a photo of it. The work is too big to scan with the scanner, and had to be digitally shot. The filly depicted is one of several handsome foals that I have painted from Tanbark Acres. This watercolor is available for purchase.

Between shoveling snow, shoveling horse stalls and walking the dog..... I have been getting works packaged and sent out to a new Gallery that I am with in Lexington , KY. Gallery B is having a benefit show called "It's Raining Cats and Dogs" and I have several works that will be included in the show.

I also will be having other works in two National Invitational art shows this spring... this giving me more exposure....the future is looking good.