A Moment In Time

I do like doing commissions, but I have to admit some grab your heart more than others. The above casein commissioned portrait [ 18 x 18"] of a young woman and her beautiful American Saddlebred horse was one of those commissions where I was really inspired by the beauty of both the owner and her "Tiffany". The work was commissioned by the husband without his wife's knowing about it. He provided me with a portfolio of photographs, none of them really showing the scene that he wanted painted. But he did provide me with enough images to work from, so I could construct the "Moment In Time " that he envisioned....and as he explained what he wanted, I immediately saw the image in my mind's eye. There was so much movement in the walking horse and the way I was able to play the light through the background trees and onto the horse and owner....the painting came together the way I wanted it to!

I have held off posting this until the painting present was presented on the wife's birthday. The painting now hangs in their home in Ohio.

This year I am accepting only a few commissions and focusing more on original works. I have a very busy year ahead...but as Martha says "That is a good thing!"

Papercut Done And Rain Pounds down

What a grey day! My studio is cozy and dry... and I am glad to say that the latest cutting is done.

It is a scene that depicts what the American Saddllebred is bred to do...go on pleasure rides with style! The idea for this cutting came during my Kentucky trip and the Show of Breeds at the Kentucky Horse Park. The image measures 8 1/2" x 10" and is cut from one piece of paper. A labor of love. It is already up on my website.

Kyle is supposed to kiss us today in Downeast Maine with high winds and rain. The rain is coming down now...the winds come later tonight, I guess. I just finished taking down our summer awning that shades our back deck. Six years ago today we moved into our cottage here in Morrill. A few days later we had a big storm with high winds and rain. The awning that was on the house when we bought it, ripped and shredding ..I don't want a rerun of that, thank you. So down comes the awning today before the storm. The slant of the sun is lower now anyway so we don't really need the awning to shade the house...now we need the sun to spill into the living room to warm the house on cooler days.

After Work - Keeneland

Here in Morrill the tree colors are starting to change.....the red maple leaves and the yellow birch..and my favourite of all... the larch or tamarack trees. Today is promising rain...I am working in the studio...finished this watercolor and am working on the papercut. There is another watercolor almost done, drying before I go into it with more detail and color.

The papercut is of a Saddlebred. I think this is the first cutting of a Saddlebred, under saddle, that I have done. I have done cuttings of them being driven. I should get it done soon, if I don't get sidetracked,which seems to be the problem these days. I have too many ideas going and need more hours.

The above watercolor [ sized 8 x 12 1/2" ] is of a scene behind scenes at Keeneland race track seen last summer. I was so taken with the guys who are the real care givers to the race horses....the grooms and exercise riders. This is a sort of study for a bigger work that I plan on doing at some point.

Now back to the cutting...............

But first....

Here is a shot of my gardens with the last of color........as seen from my studio!

Oh, What A Beautiful Morning

Friday morning I got up before the sun had spilled into our farm......and I caught this shot from our deck, at that magical moment as the sun started creeping across the pastures , into the pond behind the barn ,through the barn doors and hitting the night mist as it rose above the stand of spruce that reach up skyward from the very back of our pastures. Fall color has not yet begun, but will soon. The morning chill of the past few mornings tell me that it is time to get out my sweaters and warm socks.....summer is done.

The horses have all started getting their winter coats already. The bay Cobs are dappled with red in their coats. The Corgi has thrown 3 coats of shedding hair all through the house.....even Mittens, the wizard kitty, has blown her summer coat and is sporting her winter fur. And I can tell that my indoor allergies are in full blossom........ And that is ONE reason that I paint in casein!!

I am finishing up another papercut of a Saddlebred, inspired from my Lexington, Kentucky outing of last summer.
And new work needs to be shipped to Chisholm Gallery in New York...........and I have started a watercolor of three Peruvian Pasos.

...........and then there are the gardens that need to be put to bed.