Fence To The Pond

"Fence To The Pond " is done and the two small pen and inks [ 8 x 9"] will be put on my website in the Sketches and Studies Collection.....

Today the rain is falling and the wind blowing something fierce, so I am headed out to clean stalls and put the horses in. They are not happy campers at this point.

The Tree Line

Our pastures are surrounded by forest...spruce, pine, cedar and fir..and tamarack trees..and some hard wood too. But it is the tall spruce and pine that captures my muse ..tall like sentinels they stand protecting our farm. They dance and sway in the wind, are clothed in white robes when it snows...and the air smells of their sweetness on damp days.

This is one of two pen and ink I have done of the fortress around our farm. They are both sized at 8 x 9" and are on watercolor board. I love doing pen and ink. I used to do a lot of them, mostly landscapes ore figurative works...and am thinking I will do more in the future.

They will be on my website in my Sketches and Studies Collection.

Caught With A Mouthful

I just finished up this little watercolor of my Duster [Tennessee Walking Horse] caught with his mouth full....always eating. It is small...quick and it is done! It is 10 x 4" on watercolor board and though it is for sale...I won't be putting it up on my website.

It was a good day to stay in the studio...very cold and windy here. I had ordered a bunch of art supplies and today part of the order came....I can't wait to get started!! New canvas and new ideas!!

Grays Though the Park

This new 10 x 10" casein on gallery wrapped canvas, is an Acadia inspired work. This pair are actually the leaders of a four-in-hand coaching visitor at Wildwood. I loved the way the light hit them as they trotted through the pine lined carriage roads on the Rockefeller's roads behind Little Long Pond. That part of the Acadia Carriage Roads is my favourite part.

I went in loose and abstract with this painting and just finished up with a hint of detail. I have put it up on my website.

Now I need to clean out the studio to make room for new supplies that I ordered ...then back to work.

Icelandic-Head Study

I have been captivated by Icelandic horses since a friend introduced me to them..she raises them. I actually first saw them at Equine Affaire years ago.....the awesome drill team and their thrilling exhibition of the Icelandics gaits! Mind you, I ride Tenn. Walkers........a very comfortable ride..but the Icelandics have it over them in spades as far as thrill!!!
This handsome "guy" was at Equine Affaire....I loved his mane and eye. I captured him in a 11 x 8 1/2" watercolor and am putting it up on my website.

Table For Two

I finished this 9 x 12" sketch the other evening, but we have had a busy two days and evenings and I have not had time to work in my studio or catch up on projects. I love doing pen and inks..line and shadow. As a child I would read Charles Dickens' novels and was in love with the etchings portraying the stories. Simple, clean and how they drew you into the story. A big crunchy apple..a Dickens' novel on a rainy day and I was off into a world of my own for an entire afternoon. Anyway..this sketch was fun and different from what I do every other day . But it does show bit of my life and surroundings here at Cob Cottage.

Now to get back to commissions..............

Table for Two

I sketched it out in pencil lightly and have started a 9 x 12" pen and ink..I need to get more shading and prospective into it....but I am having fun. I might just keep it a pen and ink drawing. I am working on some watercolors that I need to get done. There are only so many hours in a day.
I have to pick my battles!
But I am enjoying this interior landscape and it's small detour from doing equine work.

Table and Chairs OR Interior Landscape #1

It doesn't sound very exciting but I feel like trying an indoor "landscape"....so I have chosen our table and chairs. This is our cottage interior..all blue white and yellow...and much red that is out of the frame here...Such is home. So this is what I am working on today...between mucking stalls, hauling hay and walking the dog.

It's a lovely sunny November day. A bit brisk this morning, but that's great for waking one up!

So to the easel I go...........stay tuned...........

Tah-Dah

With great "fan-fair" I produce for you my barn door!!! [Did I spell that right?? fan-fair??] This view of the barn is a favourite of mine and the double garden seat is where we sit and ponder and discuss on summer evenings around the fire pit. A glass on wine...some cheese and crackers...the crackling fire and the peaceful scene of the horses nibbling on grass. I will remember this all when the snow flies and the winds howl this winter!

The loft door will be painted too, probably next spring...for now I need to finish up cleaning my gardens, put the garden pond to bed for the winter and set the Japanese Iris into the ground before frost.

And then I am ready to concentrate on studio work and commissions. It is that time of year!!

But so many had asked about a view of the barn door ...here it is. A side note...our Maggie filly was sporting a yellow mustache on the day I did the back barn door...I am sure she was saying to the other horses "And I helped!!!"

Focused

Corgis...Corgis..........Cardigan Corgis!

This is a 7 1/2 x 11" watercolor on watercolor board from a sketch of a Cardigan herding cattle......what captured me about this shot was the intense stare of the Cardigan on the eye of his subject. His human mom sent it to me. It is as if he is saying [ with his eye] "You better go where I want you to go!" and you know...I think the cow has got the message! Of course the shadows and movement of the moment captured me too. I am a sucker for a shot with great shadow and movement.

I am putting this watercolor up on my website............

Also I want to mention that I am a member of the Canine Art Guild...and am one of the artists in an online art show called "Helping Paws" , where a portion of the sales go to the canine rescue group of our choice. I have a small casein of a Pembroke hanging in the show and all of the money fro the sale of this cute PWC painting goes to CorgiAid. Take a stroll over and check out the great show ...and be sure to help out CorgiAid. CorgiAid is a nonprofit organization founded to provide> financial assistance to corgis and corgi mixes. They help rescue Corgis from dog shelters or other non-permanent homes, then foster them until a new forever home is found. Medical and other expenses for these dogs can become high. That is why I wanted to donate the sale of this Corgi painting 100 percent to CorgiAid. My painting is titled "Just Sitting There" [ 4 x 6"]

And now I need to get focused on the job at hand..........more on that later!

The Filly Coming Five

Yesterday I painted the barn doors...and I also finished up this 12 x 8" watercolor of the filly. She has been the subject of my work a lot in her four short years. I was with her when she was born...and she is my helpmate when I am down doing barn chores. Maggie is always willing and curious to have her picture taken. A willing subject...but sometimes a little too willing and up close for long shots! But I LOVE HER EYE..... and so will be painting it often...and willingly!

My barn now sports a bright yellow door....as does Les' work shed. I have started the back barn door and prepped the potting shed door...all to be painted yellow. When I finished up the front barn door and was watching Maggie watching me painting the door.....I saw the lovely red in her bay coat against the yellow door...........yup! This will be a new painting I am sure!

Today dawns a bit cloudy. But I need to get the barn doors done before the weather changes...I know it will turn cold and wintry soon. So the watercolor I am working on now of a Cardigan Corgi herding cattle will have to wait a bit.

Acadia Again

It might seem as though I am fixated with Acadia...........I am. I miss the old days when the four-in-hand drivers were coming up to Wildwood each fall to picnic and drive, all duded up with their grooms in full livery and their passengers with their fancy hats. It was a taste of a other time. A time when things were slower and full of tradition. I liked that.
This 11 x 14 casein is a scene often seen at the Wildwood barn as the grooms readied their charges..this time it is a Kladruby being groomed...what a lovely team they were stepping out on the carriage roads.
This work is being added onto my website.

Another coupe for me...I finally sent off an 'email newsletter' ...it was a learning experience for me...full of typos I am sure......but done, nevertheless. This is another way you can hear my news and you can sign up for it on my new website. Check it out!!


Now I am headed out to the barn while the warm weather stays...going down to paint the barn doors.....yellow to match the Tamarack trees that dot our forest line.

A BIT OF COLOR , HEH!!?