It's A New Year ! More New Paintings!

 "The Cob Mare" , oil, 12 x 12" ©2015 kathi peters

 I can't believe time has past so quickly since the last time I posted new work ....but it has, and needless to say, I have been painting between holiday commitments  and snow storms and doctor appointments! Life on the farm goes on and I do get time every day to get into the studio and do something creative. ............even if it is only balancing my checkbook. Believe me, that can be VERY creative!

At the end of 2015 I did an oil of a Cob brood mare, fond memories of a mare that produced some awesome foals. The painting is available on my website and hopefully she will find a new home in the new year.

  I also have been working on some smaller works on paper , in mixed media, and they are turning into a series of works I will be doing as I explore the pulse of the prerace ride, the feeling of the horses and their side riders, as they ready for the gate loading and their race. So far there are three done  in this series......

 "Before The Race #1"  ©2016 Kathi Peters    

"Before The Race #2"  ©2016  Kathi Peters

"Before The Race #3"     ©2016 Kathi Peters

I have had  papercut drawing work juried into an exhibit opening at River Arts Gallery in Damariscotta, Maine January 15th,2016......Good to have my  papercuts back in the mix of my portfolio of work again. I am looking at some changes in my work in the new year. I hope to keep you engaged in my work. 

And so I paint....create!

  

Another Small Casein Painting - Keeneland Morning

"Keeneland Morning"   Casein on Board   6 x 6"   ©2012 kathi peters

It might be cold and wintry here in Mid-Coast Maine,but I am keeping warm in my studio painting memories of past summer visits to Kentucky and the behind the scenes racetrack excitement. I love the hustle and bustle that goes on, the training and conditioning of the horses.So many paintings to be done....keeps my winters busy here.

The above is a small 6 x 6" casein of morning training.....a familiar scene there. The painting is available on my website,and is offered framed and ready to hang.

Waxing Poetic.

Arbor is DONE!

"There's a warmth in the distance.

I can feel it in the air.The fields that last were snow covered,

Lay dappled brown and bare.

But promise comes of emerald green

And yellow daisies bright,

A star filled sky and warmer breeze

And peepers in the night. "

The weather finally changed and we have been blessed with warm sunny days and cool nights with peepers and hooty owls singing their spring songs. The lawn and fields are greening and trees are budding, with more bursting forth each day. I think that we can safely put the snow shovel away,but I hesitant to do that for fear that it will tempt fate....sure to bring a blizzard. Yet I am going to plant my lettuce and cilantro next week.

I had a good week in the studio, delivered a painting to Belfast and made some headway on cleaning out a bit in a full unorganized studio. And with the garden arbor DONE....we are making headway in the direction of summer!!

Also done....another small casein of Keeneland Race Track.....and changes in my website. Be sure and take a cruise around my site and tell your friends about it too. Sign up for my newsletter on my website.....and invite friends to sign up also!  Now back to the studio. Good news to tell next time!

"Keeneland #2"      casein on board                6 x 6"

Work In Progress

The arbor ...in the process.

I love Spring...even when it is so overwhelming with projects lined up to be done, making me feel like the list will never be done. It has been that way lately, but slowly we are picking away at what needs doing....and I know we are making head way. I am sure Mother Nature must be feeling that same way of late. Here in our part of Maine, our crocus are just starting!!

But it is a start....and THAT is what is important. The entire project of redoing the grape arbor hung over our heads for so long. And then it turned out to be a 'looooonnnngggg' project. The main posts had to be dug by hand....and the posts and runners harvested from our woods. But it is done....and we are happy with it. I so hope the deer can't demolish it is easily now! The grapes are back hanging on the new arbor,ready to sprout their leaves....and grapes will come.

I have had some studio time....catching it where I can. I have finished some small caseins. Keeneland #1 is one of them....one of several small racing scenes I am doing. I know I need to get back into the studio with some bigger work...but the "to-do" list hangs over me like a Isosceles sword!! And spring is pushing into our farm saying "Get ready....summer is coming!!"

"Keeneland # 1"      Casein on board       6 X 6" 

Spring Brings Foals

"A Yearling"                       Casein on board                          6 x 6"  

Between shoveling and dreaming of spring I have had some creative progress in the studio. 

This little  casein pictured above is done and available through my website's Small Works Collection.  The subject is a handsome yearling  who I met at Cobra Farm during my Lexington,KY  visit last year. All the yearlings were getting ready for the weekend's Young Stock Sales.......a sad and a happy time. Young stock were headed to their new life....no longer left to just play and grow.They had a purpose in life.....and the weekend  sales would determine that to a point. I saw so many at Cobra Farm that I would have loved to take home with me. Like I need another hole in my head!!

It is raining today.A spring misty moisty morning. The farrier is here trimming our horses feet. Our horses are left barefoot. They have not felt the metal of shoes for years. I think they like that. I am headed to the studio for the rest of the afternoon. I need to clean the studio up a bit before I start on some bigger paintings now....and finish a commission.

Winter Has A Hold On The Farm

"The Exerciser - Keeneland"    watercolor on board     12 x 12"

The winter weather broke for awhile.We had a taste of spring for a few days and rain came in last night with a pounding force that melted the snow that was piled up over the past month. Today I can see patches of brown, green and that means mud is not far behind. But we will have to wait for the mud while as a cold snap comes back with snow squalls and winds that bite. Our brook is rushing ,freed of it winter mantle, but ice coats our paths and walking needs a concerted effort to stay upright.

When winter refuses to leave...I stay in my studio. 

I have finished the above watercolor, done on Amperstand watercolor board. I have used this board before and like how the Sennelier watercolors slide around on the clay surface of the board. I will finish this painting off with a fixative that protects the watercolor and allows the painting to be framed WITHOUT glass. A novel idea.  The painting, "The Exerciser - Keeneland",   will be available from me, on my website.... until I decide what paintings go to what gallery during the summer months.

I also ventured out the other day for a quick plein air foray in pastels....the result is the following 5 x 7" painting on pastel board. "Winter Barn" is available, but I am redoing my website and it might not be put up on my site. In fact a lot of work will be taken off my site. Call it spring cleaning?

"Winter Barn"     5 x 7"      pastel on  Amperstand pastel board

Nellie does not like this rainy and now cold weather....The temps are falling now more than a degree a hour with high winds bringing snow. This morning it was 42F. Now it is 27F and falling. Nellie has decided to stay snuggled up in our bed....I am headed down to put the horses in. Winter winds are blowing.

Wake up Sleepy Nell!

Playing With Light

I am still going through photos from our Kentucky trip last May. Most shots are of horses, horse farms, Keeneland and Churchill Downs Race Tracks....and yes, several Jack Russells that we met. But I do have some shots of a certain real estate in Cincinnati that I fell in love with. It stood looking down on the Ohio River with tree lined streets and was surrounded by other lovely homes. How I wanted to look inside...I could imagine myself living there.

I came home with several photos of this old Italianate style home....and today I finished this 12 x 9" casein painting of the house. I painted this as an evening scene, as I imagined it might look in the glow of the evening sky. I can still see myself living there!

But I don't know where the horses would fit??;-)

Touring Thru Kentucky And Solo Show

May 2009 is a very month busy it seems. I feel as if it has me sort of hanging on to my hat!

Our trip to Lexington has come and gone and I am still dizzy with all the images captured in my head and on film from the whirlwind tour of Lexington, the Kentucky Horse Park, the horse farms and Keeneland and then over to Louisville and Churchill Downs…then following the Ohio River back to Cincinnati [Actually out side of Cincinnati in Ryland, KY.]

Here is a photo of Bobbye and I hamming it up at KHP! [me on left]

The opening reception at Gallery B of my solo show was fun, looked great and brought sales…. and after the opening we were taken out to dinner by the Gallery owners…to an Italian Restaurant,” Portofino”. Very appropriate for me, I am thinking!!! Portofino is one of my most favorite spots on the Mediterranean coast.

Me [a very tired me] and Marci

One wall of my show at Gallery B

On Saturday morning Marci, the director of Gallery B met us at our hotel and we headed out for a tour of Daly Farm, Sheik Mohammed of Dubai’s stud farm where I was able to get some great shots of some of the Thoroughbred industries best stallions…
[i.e. Bernardini, Hard Spun, Holy Bull, Rockport Harbor] courtesy of Gallery B! From there we headed out to Keeneland to grab a hearty breakfast at the famous racetrack restaurant. We walked around the stables and the grounds of Keeneland for more shots that I know will give me reference for future paintings. Then off we went to tour Cobra Farm and the broodmares and new foals. I also got some new JRT shots…great!! Then we headed to Louisville and Churchill Downs for afternoon races… a bit of betting …and a Mint Julep of course!

On Sunday we were back at Ryland and so went into Cincinnati and “did” the Art Museum and our hosts, Ed and Bobbye Winterberg gave us a grand tour of the city highlights. I loved the Victorian brick townhouses there along the Ohio River! We got to enjoy an art fair in a park along the riverside. And then to celebrate Mothers Day we headed to an Indian restaurant and pigged out on curry and Nan!!

I have a wealth of new reference shots to create from…. and I happy to be back in the studio and working on ideas. I arrived back to several new commissions, new show invites and looks like the summer is going to be busy.

Today I delivered my above casein of my mom riding a pig...it's titled "Poor Girls Pony" to the 2009 Festival of Art at the Huchinson Center in Belfast. Maine. That show opens today May 14th through May 17. Tomorrow we got to the opening reception for Jamie Wyeth's new show at the Farnsworth in Roclkand, Me.

Yes..very busy!
I guess I wouldn’t want it any other way!!!