Cluck - New Casein

"Cluck"                casein on board                     6 x 6"

Maybe it is because I am thinking Spring and Easter eggs and green grass.....but here is a new little casein done on canvas on board. For me, chickens mean spring......"Cluck" is available on my website.

"Durham Fields", pictured below, is another small casein  that was prompted by my thoughts of summer flowers and back roads. The old barn in the painting used to be standing on that field in Durham, Maine. The road that past by it was a dirt road and I rode my horses past this barn for years,until the road was paved....the barn fell down ...and new houses were built in the fields. Sweet memories.

We still have patches of snow around the farm. Some of those patches are two feet deep! But winter is leaving and a glimpse of spring it evident...this always makes my spirits soar! I have had good days in the studio,  new buds are starting on the trees and bushes outside, new paintings are sprouting inside!

"Durham Fields"     casein on board         6 x 6"

 Gallery B in Lexington, Kentucky, is having the opening reception of their  "Spring Invitational" art show on March 31st. My work is included in the mix that will be showcased there. I hope my Kentucky friends and clients will be able to get to see the show. I have sent some new work down to them....stop in and have a glass of wine and enjoy the art!

I am thinking about getting the rake out and starting to clean some of the garden.....but rain and s-n-o-w are predicted for later this week............I need to paint.

Girl In The Hood

Nellie styling it in her new sweatshirt.

Today a package arrived in the mail....surprises for me ...for Les ...and for Nellie!  Nellie now has a new spring sweatshirt and she has been proudly wearing it around the farm. She has the whole New York hood swagger down pat....she is the 'girl in the Hood'!! She is BIG and she is BAD!! Be afraid!!!

The snow is slowly melting,  leaving bits of green and mud. But I am not complaining. Spring is officially here and with it the promise of gardening. I am so ready this year. I am actually excited about it this year! We have started cleaning up the back arbor that the deer ruined this winter as they pulled down our grape vines and clematis vines. I see day-lily leaves spiking through the ground. My curly garlic is green and growing. Birds are singing ,calling for new mates, singing their hearts out,  filling the air with music.

Spring melt on the farm.

I have had time to work on new paintings and the painting below is one of new works which are slated for galleries for the summer season. This is one of my Tennessee Walking geldings, Dom. Dom is 30 years young this year. He has been my "man" for over 25 years. "He... the man!!" Dom and his pasture buddy, Duster have been the models for my "Shades of Black" series. Both are black TWH geldings.

"Spring Green"   Casein on board         6 x 6"

Now down to the studio. I have work to get done before the gardening time catches up to me!

Casein of a Clyde Grazing On Green

"Hand Grazing - Clyde"          casein on board           12 x 12"

A painting with green...appropriate for Saint Patty's Day!..... while we still have feet of snow covering most of our farm. The handsome Clyde in this painting has been the subject of several paintings I have done over the years. I love painting those gentle giants! I did this casein on board and will be varnishing it.......and putting it on my website. Some of my casein paintings are varnished....some not. I make the choice after I have finished a painting. Varnishing this casein painting will give it a look like an oil painting. That is the look I want for this painting.

I spent the morning grooming our horses.....trying to get into the winter crude and dead hair,as they shed their winter coats .Boy.... do I smell like a horse!! Not so nice as smelling like a rose?!!! But this is a sign of spring for sure!!!

Two New Polo Paintings

"Polo 1"   casein on board   6 x 6"

"Polo 2"    Casein on Board      6 x 6"

Two small caseins done and ready to be framed .But what am I doing? I am cleaning out... sort of. I am taking paintings of mine out of the office, off the walls and down to the studio. Having a real need to simplify and get rid of.....clean!!! Maybe a garage sale?.....if I had a garage! I am keeping a few of my favourite works hanging....but for the most part, the walls are bare and white. Looks good!

The white outside...the winter snow....is leaving. Looks good!!! Yes, it is being replaced by mud, brown and deep in places....but this also heralds in the coming of green..Spring! [No, I wasn't thinking about St Patty's day!!! ] I am sure I am not alone in thinking that this was the longest hardest winter. Maybe it is because we are not getting any younger....but the snow came fast and furious all December and January and then in February we were buried in over 34" of white. It will take a while to get rid of this winter's white, which actually is gray and brown now.....Spring.

The horses are shedding, the JRT is shedding.....and Mittens, the Maine Coon Kitty is "molting' all over our bed. Spring!!

Mittens, shedding on our bed!

So I am carrying paintings down to the studio, and picking what works go where...........

Winter Has A Hold On The Farm

"The Exerciser - Keeneland"    watercolor on board     12 x 12"

The winter weather broke for awhile.We had a taste of spring for a few days and rain came in last night with a pounding force that melted the snow that was piled up over the past month. Today I can see patches of brown, green and that means mud is not far behind. But we will have to wait for the mud while as a cold snap comes back with snow squalls and winds that bite. Our brook is rushing ,freed of it winter mantle, but ice coats our paths and walking needs a concerted effort to stay upright.

When winter refuses to leave...I stay in my studio. 

I have finished the above watercolor, done on Amperstand watercolor board. I have used this board before and like how the Sennelier watercolors slide around on the clay surface of the board. I will finish this painting off with a fixative that protects the watercolor and allows the painting to be framed WITHOUT glass. A novel idea.  The painting, "The Exerciser - Keeneland",   will be available from me, on my website.... until I decide what paintings go to what gallery during the summer months.

I also ventured out the other day for a quick plein air foray in pastels....the result is the following 5 x 7" painting on pastel board. "Winter Barn" is available, but I am redoing my website and it might not be put up on my site. In fact a lot of work will be taken off my site. Call it spring cleaning?

"Winter Barn"     5 x 7"      pastel on  Amperstand pastel board

Nellie does not like this rainy and now cold weather....The temps are falling now more than a degree a hour with high winds bringing snow. This morning it was 42F. Now it is 27F and falling. Nellie has decided to stay snuggled up in our bed....I am headed down to put the horses in. Winter winds are blowing.

Wake up Sleepy Nell!

A Thank You Gift From Sennelier - Thank You, Sennelier!

My thank you gifts from Sennelier France.

A while ago I was contacted by Sennelier of France and asked if I would help them with a blind test of their watercolors. They had seen my website and liked my work.. and so invited me to help them improve their product.

 I have used Sennelier supplies for years and am familiar with their high quality product line. When I lived in Italy I used their pastels ...and loved them! 

 It was a fun test, with several tubes of various watercolor colors to compare..It really made me think about the consistency and fluidity of each tube as I compared and rated them all, then finally picking my favourite from each group. They told me they would sent me a thank you for my time at the end of the testing. The time spent was fun and I had learned someting during it.

When several weeks later a big box from France was delivered to our home I was more than excited about the contents! I have new watercolors to use....new pastels to play with and new oil pastels to try! AND lots of new 300 lb watercolor paper to put to good use, along with some new watercolor brushes!

Thank you Sennelier!!! Believe me, the pleasure was all mine!! Below is one of the paintings that I completed with the test paints which I liked the best!! It is available on my website.

"Lift Off"     watercolor          8 x 13"

Now I am just now heading down to the studio for a bit....going to try those Sennelier oil pastels for sure!