I AM Going Somewhere

"Where Ever You Shall Go.." , mixed media on gallery wrapped canvas, 18 x 18"
copyright 2017 kathipeters.com

This past winter I started exploring my abstract creative side. It has proven to be an exciting foray. I’ve kept the initial start of my abstraction, as an intuitive step forward, onto a blank canvas. I'm working with acrylics and casein. Then I go in with my charcoals to draw the main subject, which I approach with more realism. I have always loved drawing….and my work, in the past, has been more impressionistic realism, but I have always been drawn [no pun intended] to abstract work and the use of pure color to drive intent and exploration. I think I will always have to have an element of realism in my work, but will continue dropping my subject into an abstract landscape, as I paint, splatter and drag color intuitively across the canvas. I hope you are enjoying my new work……and seeing where my journey takes me.

“Where Ever You Shall Go...” is done in mixed media [acrylic, casein, oil and ink]. Two draft horses walked away from me….walking into the abstracted landscape ….a path that draws them into a lovely light that hints of sunlight and trees standing tall. A tall Clydesdale follows the shorter more stocky spotted draft horse…where ever it may go……just as I seem to be following my muse, where ever it shall take me.

 

 I am pleased to announce that "Where Ever You Shall Go" as been juried into the "Artist's Choice Exhibit at River Arts Gallery in Damariscotta, Maine , with an opening reception to be held Friday, May 5th at 5 until 7:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

 

 

Nor'Easter

"Nor'Easter" , casein , 6 x 6"

     With another Nor'Easter heading our way, I felt driven to paint another snow scene and this scene of a Clydesdale pair in a Maine snow storm fit the bill. The snow falls and builds up on their manes and tails......brrrr....!  This painting, titled Nor'Easter, is now 
 on my website and it is already sold.

 

We are braced for an 'almost spring' snowstorm and they can be big ones carrying much moisture with heavy snow falls. Our snow shovel was at the ready. The thought that spring is so very near will gave us strength. We will muddled through! AND we shoveled

 And I also painted.  [between the bouts of shoveling.]

New mixed media with abstractions are in the works!

 

 

Busy With Boxes - The Other Part Of Being An Artist

Some of  My Asian Lilies

I HAVE been busy....did a bit of painting since my last blog post....AND did take some time off to play teamster for a day in Acadia. Les and I went driving with good friends, on the carriage roads of Acadia National Park. Tom and Irene have a lovely huge pair of Clydes....the Budweiser type of horses.....so, as we were going out driving with them Les also drove a pair of  Clydes.  Both of us ,with our Clyde pair, leisurely drove the scenic carriage roads to my favourite spot...the Rockefeller's Little Long Pond route to the Pond House. Ah , the memories of years gone by! Seems like yesterday that we drove those roads with our Cobs.....but the sweet Clyde boys we were driving now were well behaved and gave us a lovely day in the park.

After we got home, I did a small oil on copper of one of the scenes I have wanted to paint for a long time...No time like the present! This is the view from the causeway, at the bottom of Little Long Pond, looking up the water towards the Pond House.....the mountains in the back round out a wonderful summer scene. This is the view as seen from the seat of a carriage....a bit higher than how one might see it from the ground. I think this is the BEST way to see the carriage roads. They appear differently when seen from the back of a horse or from the lofty carriage seat. This is the way they are meant to be seen.!! Try it!! 

"Looking Towards The Pond House"   Oil on copper     6 x 8"

But now I need to get back to the work at hand in my studio.....packing all my art that goes to Equidae Gallery in Saratoga Springs,NY. The show opens next week.....and I will post more about that in a few days.....right now, I am busy with boxes and bubble wrap....and paintings strewn all over the studio!! See....artists don't just create....they ship too!!

Drawn To The Gardens

The garden outside my studio.

The gardens outside my studio are in full bloom now.I sit at my drawing board and paint and look out the window upon this myriad of colors....How they tempt me to come out side. I have been working on the watercolor of  Acadia drafts.... and it is all I can do to keep my mind on the work at hand. But I have made some headway on it...This is almost done....the  work in progress is at this point now:     

"Acadian Clyde"s  watercolor....... almost done.

Life on the farm is in full swing...and between the mowing, weeding and chores I am getting paperwork, paintings and framing done. Life is good ...if a bit fragmented during this season. Paintings are framed and ready to ship to the next show in SaratogaSprings the end of the month. I will tell more about Equidae Gallery's show in another blog post.

The studio is cool....I am headed there now! Nell and I will enjoy the studio's cool while looking out at the summer hot..... remembering what winter is like in Maine!!

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!!!