The Trip - It's Good To Be Home!

It takes too much energy to travel!!! ....or the getting ready for an art show that is 'far far away". I shipped 12 new works to Lexington,KY for the "Bluegrass Living" show. Then, after all that was done, I had to pack my bag ...my husband's bag.....and then write a novel's worth of instructions for the barn-sitter who came and care-taked our horses,dogs and cat! I was tired before I even boarded the plane!!!

Me.. between my painting & Andrea Steiner's painting at AAEA show

We arrived in Kentucky Thursday night. Friday morning and most of that afternoon was spent visiting art museums in Lexington proper.I learned about the legend of the "Blue Horse"....I was able to actually go to see the show my work is hanging in at the Lexington History Museum's Invitational Art show sponsored by The American Academy of Equine Art.This will be hanging throughout the World Equestrian Games........ and I walked through the at The University of Kentucky's Art Museum where there was an awesome exhibit of equine art ......AND the current exhibit "The Bluegrass Palette "of one of my art "heroes"...Andre Pater.To be able to see his work [ oil and pastel ] up close and to see his brush strokes and palette, was the highlight of the entire trip! And then to add the Museum's major exhibit,  " Hoofbeats and Heartbeats -The Horse in American Art" with its more than 50 paintings and sculptures by artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, John Steuart Curry, Frederic Remington, Edward Troye, and Grant Wood.......I was in heaven feasting on eye candy!!The Friday night reception with my work at Gallery B was jam-packed. This is a good sign, I do believe......and I did get to meet some great new folks.That is always a perk of art show openings!


Saturday morning we were up early and out to Cobra Farm, where I was given a personal tour and chance to photograph any of the fine foals who were going to the Keeneland young stock sales....and the yearlings. I fell in love with a 2 year old filly who would have come home with me if I had a suitcase big enough! [ Not to mention a bank account to match! ]

One of the many shots of young stock at Cobra Farm. Looks like a Blue Horse!

Then off to Gala Driving Center in Georgetown to meet trainer Sterling Graburn and where we were given a tour of their wonderful grounds there and where our JRT's mom, Tamika, greeted us...along with our Nellie's sister Kate!

Tamika and her daughter Katey

Then we went on a drive through Kentucky...the farms....the countryside...and even checked out Jesse James mother's old tavern, where my husband had thoughts of opening his own tavern!!!
[ Les' middle name is Jesse....and our eldest son is a Jesse too!]

Les at the Tavern.... just thinking!

We are back home now.....it took me a few days to get into the swing of things....and I am looking through all my photos, books and information collected on our whirlwind few days, where we had a wonderful time experiencing Kentucky with great friends......in horse country!
Now it is time to get focused and to love on some Cob Cottage horses [and dogs] ....and to enjoy the beauty that surrounds us here in September!!