Keeneland Study

"The Paddock Walk"    oil   6 x 8"    copyright 2012     www.kathipeters.com

I have been looking through photos for reference material for new paintings. I have just finished [?] this small 6 x8" study in oil of a Keeneland Paddock scene. I was planning on maybe doing it bigger ,and more involved. I love the colors in this. I tried to keep it loose...keep it simple. The oil is giving off a glare now,and so I will get a better shot when things dry a bit. This is done on canvas on board, so it will take longer to dry than my oils on copper panels do. I will probably put it on my website when done.

The studio smells  of oil paint and medium.... so Nell and I took a walk into our fields that are now open, with only snow around the woods line. The sun shines brightly today, with a nippy March wind that is refreshing after a morning in the studio. What a blessing to have this spot to walk in, explore and enjoy. There was so much I saw in this short walk that I want to paint. God willing. So back to the paint.

The Birches In March   copyright 2012  www.kathipeters.com

Morning Excercises

I have to admit I am not into morning exercises..or doing exercises anytime during the day! But when I was at Keeneland Race track I got some great shots of the horses being exercised and I did this study today from a reference shot that I might want to paint again but bigger. This painting is 9 x 12" on Colorfix paper done in casein.
I picked up my caseins today for a break from watercolor work. I think every once in a while it is good to take a break....and I am happy with what I came up with!

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!

Paintings From Kentucky

My trip to Kentucky will afford me many scenes that will be painted and cut. Bobbye and I drove the back roads outside of Lexington and idyllic scenes such as this were everywhere... Miles of board fencing as far as the eye could see and pastures with grazing horses and mares heavy with foal lined the roadside. Everywhere I looked I saw a painting begging to be done!!! This 10 x 8" watercolor is the first of many watercolors from this trip.

Bobbye took this shot of me taking a shot at Keeneland...

I am working on a casein painting from that great photo-op too. My studio is a mess....papers and photos everywhere......the gardens outside the studio need work, and a garden edging job I started this morning on our back gardens is strewn across the lawn.....I am feeling the need to paint and that takes president over anything else at this point!!

So I am back to the easel.......! Driven!!

Back Home Again

What a trip! The whole experience went by too fast. But I am happy to be home in Cob Cottage !!!

The Kentucky Horse Park is huge....and it was HOT and this ole' New Englander is not used to that sort of heat. But with downing a lot of H2O I managed to survive.
On the evening of 18th my friend, Bobbye and I went to the opening and book signing of "Equestrian Style" at Gallery B in Lexington. It was so neat to meet Vicky Moon and to actually see the gallery on Main Street. My contact with Vicky, prior to the publication of the book, was all email and by phone. I had never been down to Lexington to see the gallery either. It was a lovely reception...good food, wine and very interesting people to talk to. Lyn Raff, photographer and editor of Horse Art magazine was at the signing too and we got a chance to talk. I enjoyed my 'outing'.

Bobby and I spent two days doing the Kentucky Horse Park and Keeneland Race Track... we even got to The Red Mile to see where I have been showing for years at Tattersall's Harness Tracks of America's Annual Art Exhibit and Auction. My paintings and papercuts had been seen and been hung in these spots..but this was a first for me! I was able to get neat morning shots at Keeneland stable and exercising shots.... Bobbye, who grew up there as a kid while her father 's horses raced, knew where to take me ...what to see...so I was able to get the feel and aura of the this racing Mecca.



The demonstrations at the Horse Park were great and afforded me a primo chance to get wonderful reference shots for future paintings. This shot above of a Spotted Saddle Horse 'dancing the pole' is just one of the shots that I have to inspire me. [I am wondering if my Walking Horse , Duster and I can do this???] The best surprise though was getting to see Clay Maier and his Friesian pair that he rides tandem! Awesome!

The Champagne Run Horse Trials were going on too...I got some neat dressage shots.

And I actually got to see the American Academy of Equine Art's building and to watch Shelly Hunter doing a sculpture workshop. The Carriage Association of America's Museum was closed..that was a let down.....but we did go into the Horse Museum to get out if the heat for a bit.

My advice....if you are into horses...plan a trip to the Kentucky Horse Park. I will go back ...but next time it will not be done in the summer!!! I will stay home in Maine where Life is like it is supposed to be!!

Lipizzan In The Works

Yesterday I started this watercolor of a Lipizzan horse , what a powerful horse he is and you can see the power and movement in his eye and neck. A good friend of mine, Juliet Harrison, who happens to be an accomplished photographer, gave me permission to paint this shot. I am always so excited to see her new work ...and this [ a bit edited ] is from a photo shoot that she did in New York. Thank you, Juliet!

I started with a rough sketch and this time I didn't do a value study with graphite, but have gone right into the work with watercolors. This work has a long thin composition, and my scanner can only show part of it...
I will keep you posted as I make head way on this. I am working on a watercolor of Herefords at the same time ...oh.. and a new papercut! My muse is working overtime!

But I must admit I have been a bit reoccupied at the moment getting things finalized for a trip down to Lexington, KY to go to the opening book signing for Vicky Moon's new book 'Equestrian Style"...and to show a few of my papercuts at Gallery B. And while there I plan on getting to the Kentucky Horse Park.....and Keeneland ...and The American Academy of Equine Art.
This will be a fast trip...but fun I am sure. And for 4 days I will not have to clean stalls or throw hay!