New Casein Painting Of Horses & Snow

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"January Snow' , casein on board , 12 x 12"  copyright 2017 kathipeters.com

 

 

We are finally deep in the frozen depths of winter in January, here in Mid-Coast Maine. Our horses are bored to death.... and they seem to be taking their  boredom out on the board fence.  I have been busy finishing up one more  pre Christmas commission that is now done and delivered.  After Christmas time was lost as both my husband and I were sick as dogs for over a month. But now we are out of the woods [so to speak] and life goes on. I am back in the studio each day and Les has been busy moving snow around.

 

"January Snow" is my latest casein painting finished and is now available on my website. How fitting a subject and title for this time of year!    AND  I am back painting!

Great Paint Makes A Painting Greater

Back in the spring of 2011,  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

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 I have used Sennelier paints and pastels for years and am familiar with their high quality product line. When I lived in Italy I used their pastels and tempera ...and loved them! Their watercolors are primo! I was really happy to be chosen by them and more than happy to join in to the blind test. It was a fun test,  with several tubes of each watercolor color to compare with each other. It really made me think about the consistency and fluidity of each tube as I compared and rated them all, then finally picked my favourite from each color group. They told me they would send me a thank you for my time at the end of the testing. The time spent was fun and I even learned something new about what I actually look for in each color I use each day on my palette. I finished my evaluation and submitted my findings to them.

 When several weeks later a big box from France was delivered to our home I was more than excited about the contents! I now had 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! I was more than surprised...I was elated.  I said " 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!!

Later in 2012 I was again gifted another package from France.....Sennelier had sent me a lovely watercolor pochade with the NEW tubes of Aquarelle Watercolors that I had helped them perfect and I was so excited about them!! I also received the book "Sennelier-A History In Color" ....inscribed with a personal message from Dominique Sennelier thanking me for partaking in their product developement. Again...the pleasure was all mine!!

 

"The Promise"   watercolor on archval watercolor board   8 x 13"

Then last week I was contacted by Sennelier and invited to share my work, on their website  Sennelier.fr  on a special page that they have set up for  their artists..... "Atmospheres".  I didn't have to think twice! Again THANK YOU SENNELIER!!!

My studio has seen me occasionally lately. Summer is here and we are busy driving our horses, mowing our lawns and my gardens keep calling me out of the studio to enjoy their colors. But over the weekend I found myself with some alone time,I sat on the deck  with my pen and inks and my Aquarelle watercolors and enjoy a bit of plein air, a fine old French tradition. Thank you Sennelier!!

 

Great paint !! Try them!!

Winter Paintings Done and Those Still To Do.

"January Thaw" Oil on copper     8 x 6"

Bitter cold has kept me in the studio each day until the present warm spell blew into New England. The horses are wondering what the story is , and their shedding hair is flying! Oh, the vagaries of Mother Nature!!  I have been wanting to do a painting of out brook for ages. It was time. I just did a small 8 x 6" oil on copper and it is available on my website, [see above] all framed and ready to hang!! "January Thaw" is one view of our brook that I love..... and I plan on doing other seasons too.Each season offers a new light,with different colors. Right now our brook is a sheet of ice.....all gray and silver. I think I might give it another try on my easel!!

Our old Cob mare sleeps in the winter sun.

We are more than half through winter....I know the horses are glad for that fact!!

Devon , our Morgan ginger boy, watches the ice covered pond.

Painting On Copper, Drawing On Claybord

The Spruce wood lot at the end of our field.

It has been a bitter cold week, topped off with yet a new blanket of snow to cover the farm. I did have time to get some work done in the studio, but when we are hit with such mean weather, it also means more work caring for the horses, shoveling snow etc etc.......Today we have a break in the cold, but skies have darkened, warning of the coming of a new snow storm. I will take what ever reprieve nature blesses us with. I cannot help but marvel at the beauty of this season and the woods surrounding our cottage. I look out at the distant stand of spruce, all dressed in their lace shawls of snow....even on this gray day, they look lovely.

I have finished the 8 x 10" oil painting on copper substrate. I call it "Angels and Horses" and it is available on my website.

"Angels and Horses"       oil on copper panel          8  x 10"       copyright 2011

I also have been working on a mixed media peice, on a 12 x 12" Ampersand claybord panel.This piece depicts a Freisian .....driving....through the woods. This work will also be available on my website when it is finished, but this is where it stands at this point. It is done in graphite...but there is more to do........with paint.

"Focused Friesian"      mixed media      12 x 12"       copyright 2011

With what is left of the day, I am heading back down to the studio.....'make hay while the sun shines'...........on this cold gray winter's day in Maine.