Reference Material Crop

"Headed To The Ring"
casein 12 x 9"
Kathi Peters
copyright 2009













Sometimes it is not what I paint but more what I leave out.
This painting is of a rider and her horse going to the ring for a hunter-jumper class taken in the Kentucky Horse Park last May. I have a wealth of images to work with from that show, but many of the images are crowed with background noise. I am a firm believer in "Less is More".....so I edit a lot,crop images and make sure the design of the painting works.

I hope I have succeeded in the 12 x 9" casein on paper?

Trivia Galore

Well, I received the new palette and have filled it with some of my casein colors that I use. I almost don't want to touch it now, as it is so nice and pristine. But I know I need to "bite the proverbial bullet" and get down and dirty with it. I just needed to show everyone how nice it looks!! :-)

I have been busy going through the pile of photo shots taken in KY during our visit. Here is a shot of Bobbye and I in front of the American Academy of Equine Art. Bobbye and Ed were our hosts and tour guide during our entire stay. They gave us a royal tour of equine highlights in Lexington and Louisville; and then in Cincinnati we got into the arts and architecture of that great city. We can't thank them enough!


I have been painting some, but the past week was also taken up with caring for our Corgi, Addie, as she tries to get over a bad eye infection. Part of the ordeal is also keeping the puppy, Nell, away from Addie as the poor girl heals. Like kids!

Back to the drawing board now as I finish up a casein painting of a Lexington thoroughbred stallion who posed for me ....I know he wanted to be painted! I am putting the finishing touches on it now.

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!!!

Commission of an Old Friend

Yesterday I spent a good portion of my afternoon at the my framer's getting frames picked for works going to shows and for finished commissions. One work was the above watercolor of 'Tootie'..what a wonderful loving and happy fellow he was ...he always had a hearty hello whenever I visited his home and "parents". A perfect furkid! He is much missed...and I only hope this watercolor does him justice.

The two casein works below are the ones that are going down to the American Academy Of Equine Art's show at the Rolex in April,and are being framed and made good to go! I only wish I was going with them...but my trip to Lexington, KY. is planned for later in May. For now my two works will have to represent me on their own!

More For The Shade of Black Series

Instead of doing things I should be doing..like paperwork and other sundry stuff..I did this casein for the "Shades of Black Series / Winter". This is a 12 x 12 casein and has lovely peachy colors in it and lots of blue.

I have also been working on the bigger image of my mom on her pony and that is almost done. It too will be a 12 x 12" work, but this time it is a mixed media...with some casein and acrylic in the mix...and pen and ink!

I have booked my flight down to Kentucky for May and the opening reception of my art show on the 8th. We are planning on getting to a few horse farms while there for photo 'ops' and the Kentucky Horse Park too. Granted it will be a whirlwind week...but I am still looking forward to it!

Now after having taken some time off to be sitting in the sun with the dogs...back to work...on yes!!! The Taxes! I promise!

Papercut Done And Rain Pounds down

What a grey day! My studio is cozy and dry... and I am glad to say that the latest cutting is done.

It is a scene that depicts what the American Saddllebred is bred to do...go on pleasure rides with style! The idea for this cutting came during my Kentucky trip and the Show of Breeds at the Kentucky Horse Park. The image measures 8 1/2" x 10" and is cut from one piece of paper. A labor of love. It is already up on my website.

Kyle is supposed to kiss us today in Downeast Maine with high winds and rain. The rain is coming down now...the winds come later tonight, I guess. I just finished taking down our summer awning that shades our back deck. Six years ago today we moved into our cottage here in Morrill. A few days later we had a big storm with high winds and rain. The awning that was on the house when we bought it, ripped and shredding ..I don't want a rerun of that, thank you. So down comes the awning today before the storm. The slant of the sun is lower now anyway so we don't really need the awning to shade the house...now we need the sun to spill into the living room to warm the house on cooler days.

Fenced In - Literally

Another 10 x 10 casein is done and joins the ranks of works in casein...from the KY trip and as seen by "Moi".

This gray was standing in a paddock at the Kentucky Horse Park and what caught my eye was the sunshine reflecting on the fence boards, the horse's back and the design the shadows made on the ground. I saw it very abstract and very colorful. That is how I attacked this painting. I think I have captured it?

Literally. :-)

Full Circle

With another beautiful August day stretched out before me, I have just finished a new papercut, I have already cleaned the stalls, mowed the orchard and then weeded a bit in the veggie garden. I have also started sketching out a new cutting and I am watering the front gardens with the dragonfly sprinkler. [It cuts a wide swath of water over the thirsty flowers....but a different type of cut than my cutting paper!]

This circle isn't actually round, but it is hard to cut a perfect round. I feel I have done a good job when the final image does not leave a horse with one leg missing or no ears!

"Full Circle" is sized about 9 x 9" ........ a good size, and it depicts a sidesaddle rider and her mount.This image was inspired by one of the exhibitions at the Kentucky Horse Park when I went to KY. A lot of my new works will be coming from inspirations from that trip!

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!