Loft Series Part Two

With a small break from working on this painting...I am back at it. The weather here in Morrill, Maine has been very cold...and frankly I don't do cold well. I also see a slowing down of my working time...just taking care of the horses and walking the dogs takes so much time and effort. And then there are all the clothes I have to put on to stay warm..........zheesh....Tuscany here I come!

So , I have gone in and refined the lines of the horse with charcoal and planned where I want the hay piles and some more shadows. The lines need to be correct as the proportions are so skewed from this angle. I went in with more of my purple and blue for the shadows. And yes, I went in with Black! I use black........more on that later.




I will let this now sit and dry for 24 hours and get back working on a commission that I want to get done.

I will do that after I get dressed and clean stalls...........and walk the dogs ...etc etc...........

From The Loft Series On Going

This morning I had a chance to get this painting really going. This is a view of our Cob mare Trevillion Victoria as seen from our loft, as I sat on the hay piled up to the high loft window. The sun was drenching the new fallen snow with purple and blue shadows thrown by the forest trees that fence our mares' winter paddock. It all begged to be painted!

I started this painting on a burgundy toned ground that I applied to the already gessoed canvas ..and sketched the mare with white pastel to get my composition correct. Then I started the painting with casein....

With Ultramarine Blue Deep and Shiva Violet, I figured out where I wanted my blue and purple shadows. The casein then needed to dry and that takes a while..so I worked on my newsletter and made some calls to clients...then back I went over the casein with acrylic...Titanium white....and the acrylic always picks up some of then casein ..blending and creating a glaze that I couldn't get with straight casein. The acrylic drys quickly and creates a skin over the casein...so for the next phase I won't be picking up so much of the dark blue and purple of the casein.

At this point the paint is mixing with the toned background and the casein... and so starts this 30 x 40" canvas for the "From The Loft" series.

The other two paintings in this series can been seen on my website in the Equine and Domestic Animals Collection . While this Loft painting dries, about 24 hours, I will be working on a commission that is all casein.....and it will be handled differently.

Two In The Snow

After a weekend of snow, yesterday was spent shoveling [yes, yet again] and digging out. I was left with the job as my husband had to head to work. At least that is what he said!

Our JRT and PWC pups are really dwarfed by the walls of snow left by our plow guy. But they are having fun looking for squirrel holes and deer tracks in the paths we have especially plowed for the pooches.

I did get some time to get some sketches done between shoveling events and back and forth's to the barn and horses. A graphite of a young buck seen in our back woods is almost done...and will be a painting at some point! I have also started a BIG casein for my "From The Loft" series. These paintings are being done with a mixed media of casein, acrylic, and charcoal. I guess I will post "In Progress" shots of the new one as I go. You asked for it...I always want to keep you happy!!
And then I am also working on works to be shown this summer in Saratoga, NY..at Equidae Gallery.I have been asked to do a casein demonstration there too during the show...and I have a show coming up in Lexington too in May...more on that later!

This day is a special day...my radio will be tuned into the inauguration of our new president Obama. I am sure every one will be watching this historic event.

Jack Russell On Watch

Here in Morrill, Maine it is bitter cold today. I guess this cold has blanketed the North East. I threw more hay out for the horses, and the dogs only go out for short time..an in and out... and I am spending the day in the studio where the sun beats in.

This morning I did this 6 x 8" casein of our JRT ..she likes to look tough and alert! What I see, when she is surrounded by snow, are the shadows and the play of color on the snow. She is SO BIG and brave in her own mind. But she IS a cutey, that's for sure!

I painted this work on a toned board that I prepared and I let the background show through the paint as I glazed and scumbling....I like the effect it makes.

I will be putting this small painting on my website and it is available for purchase.

Time for a cup a joe....hot and steamy!

Three Dancers

This new figurative painting, "The Three Dancers", just came off the easel. It can also be seen on my website in a larger format. When I lived in Rome, Italy I used to go to the theatre and watch the ballet practises and sketch. I could watch dancers all day and never be bored. I was never a dancer myself other than a few years of tap as a child.....but I appreciate the dedication of the dancer.

This painting was done from several photos given to be by an artist friend of mine...along with permission to paint what I wanted. I pulled them together and this is the scene I invented. This is a 14 x 11" painting.

Evening is closing in here at Cob Cottage........so I am headed down to the barn with the dogs. Snow coming and more cold weather.

Start Of A New Day Done - Really

Here is a close up of the subject of the finished casein "Start Of A New Day", 18 x 18" on canvas. I put the last brush strokes on it today. [ I promised myself that I did!!] And the rest of the day was spent trying to fix my router for my DSL. It seems to be working now. I will keep my fingers crossed.

I also have several sketches I have worked up for a couple of new paintings.

But I do want to get back to doing some more of my family images / mixed media work. Some of the work done so far can be seen on my website in the Figurative Collection. It is a stretch from doing equine art, but I am feeling the pull to get back to that. This work has me playing with acrylics and casein mixed with some collage thrown in for good measure.

In the meantime I will be getting my thoughts together about what is happening to me this year, artistically and career wise. Good things are happening.....but I still have a hard time getting all my "ducks in a row".......paddling like crazy under the water....but skimming along it seems on the top!!

Heh...I am still afloat!!! and that is great!

Wet Paint Or Almost Finished

With the icy rain and snow coming down outside, today is a great day to get some painting done and I am hoping to finish off this 18 x18" casein on canvas today. This is how it stands so far...and I am close to finishing. SO I consider my time in the studio a success today. Time well spent!
This scene of a young eventer starting out on a new morning ..her whole world in front of her...limitless horizons... methaphorically speaks to me of the new year ahead...!

Earlier I did the stalls, walked the dogs and then put the horses back into their stalls with hay, and I think they appreciated it. The snow was building up on their backs and starting to ice.....warm dry stalls are preferred, I am sure!

Thank You From CorgiAid

A big thank you from CorgiAid to Lynne

for the purchase of "Just Sitting There"

in the Canine Art Guild's Helping Paws Virtual Art

show to benefit various dog rescues.



And the neat thing is that the entire cost of this little gem of a painting [If I can say so my self] has been donated to CorgiAid to help them with their rescue program.

Addie [my Corgi] and Nell [my JRT] and I thank you all for helping Corgi's across the nation!!

Go CorgiAid!!!

Catch Me If You Can

After trying to get this painting shot in a manner that does it justice..I am going with the best shot I have at the moment. This 5 x 7 casein on canvas on board, Titled "Catch Me" is available and may be put on my website at some point....when I get a "round to-it". Let this be another lesson for me [and I keep having to relearn this!] that varnished caseins are very hard to photograph! This scene is a view of our Cob colt as a weanling...and he often gave me this view when I went out to catch him from the pasture where he was turned out with our geldings. Legacy was a sweety...but like most Cobs...opinioned. He has turned out to be a great boy..super driving Cob and is campaigned by Mary Gray for the Gorman's.

I am working on getting my "news" together and will soon be sending out the latest from Cob Cottage. Last year was a stellar year for me in spite of 'myself'! Already 2009 plans of passing that!

Stay tuned!!