The Grassy Road Seems Like Heaven

"The Grassy Roads" , oil , 12 x 12"  copyright 2018

There is a carriage road at Acadia National Park that is not like the other carriage roads that meander through the park. This road is not made of crushed rock that the horses clip clop along ......but this road is covered with green grass and runs through forest and granite embankments dressed in wild flowers and blueberry bushes. The horses quietly trot through this road, so peacefully with the only noise the clink of chains on the carriage, if there are chains, ......and the singing of the birds in the trees. It seems magical. And what could be more magical than to be riding behind a team of white horses. Thus.... "The Grassy Road" came into being.

This painting is framed in a black floater frame.

Two's Company, Four's A Team

"Two's Company, Four's A Team, oil on board , 12 x 24"

A four in hand of Kladruber horses and their grooms ....unhitching after the drive.

This is a scene from Acadia, a scene captured years ago at Wildwood Stables, but painted recently.

 

This painting is offered framed in a black and gold and shipping is included in its price.

Media Mixed

I have been playing with mixed- media for the past few weeks, and I just finished this piece, a watercolor, casein and pen and ink work....done sort of quickly and loosely. I like the finished product, done on 300 lb cold press watercolor paper. This four-in-hand had stopped for a lunch break with the coaching crowd that met at Acadia each year to enjoy the fall scenery. I was part of this group, as a groom for a gentleman who drove a four-in-hand of Welsh Cobs.
This team depicted here are Kladruby horses. The Kladruby, a handsome coach horse similar to the Lipizzan, originated in the Czech Republic 1579. It was derived from the Spanish Horse and the Old Neopolitan Horse from Italy. There is also other breeds like the Holstein, Andalusian, and Oldenburg horses, mixed in. This breed was produced as a heavy and beautiful carriage horse, and I enjoyed watching them trot down the road, or even standing under a shade three at lunch.
I also enjoyed working with transparent watercolors mixed with opaque casein and then throwing in some pen and ink..........I am sure I will do some more of this!!