Beautiful Blond Belgians

This is one of the paintings I am working on now...a 30 x 40" on canvas painting, it will be sort of exciting to complete. It is in the beginning stages, as I do the drawing with charcoal to get my harness and movement right in the composition.
So after I do our horses stalls and walk the dogs, I will get back into it.

Yesterday we went down south to Freeport for the artists reception of the 'Experiencing Freeport" exhibit. My painting for this Maine Art Commission and Freeport Creative Arts sponsored show, is hanging at the corner of Maine Street and Bow Street. I am so pleased to be one of the Maine Artists picked to take part in this show supported by the National Endowment For The Arts.

But today it is "back down to earth"...muck the stalls and play with the pups....and then back into the studio to create ...another painting!

Visiting Freeport Visiting Maine

Several months ago I learned that I had received a grant from the Maine Arts Commissions, along with some other members of The Freeport Creative Arts Organization. We were charged with portraying life in Freeport, Maine.

My family and I used to live in Freeport YEARS ago.... then moved to Pownal , Maine where we lived for over 25 years..raised our sons and started into farming and raising horses there. For several years of those years so long ago.. I belonged to a Freeport art club. I was into tapestry weaving and block printing at that point in my creative endeavors. I wasn't doing a lot of equine art...I just liked to depict animals of any "denomination"!

It has been years now that I have been painting the horse...painting what I love and know so well. As my husband and I got more involved in carriage driving, I also was drawn to depicting the driven horse and carriage turnouts. Today I do do some figurative work...some canine work and an occasional landscape. But it is so true that most artists paint what they love, what fires their artistic flame....and for me that is the horse. SO it was with some hesitation that I took part in the FAC project. My best friend and a fellow FAC member, Karen, pushed me along. I am so glad she got me out of my comfort zone.......

I ended up doing a 4 x 4' casein portraying the Freeport Firemen of the 1930's. It is displayed above..... and in an attempt to honour the Freeport firemen, titled it "Freeport Heroes". Our eldest son is a fireman, one of the first responders in Portland, Maine. He helped me get my information to create the painting.....and I will tell more about that another time.

I just am so honored and exciting about taking part in this MAC adventure!
The reception for "Experiencing Freeport - Showing Our Town Through Art" will be held at The Freeport Village Station in Freeport, Maine on Friday, September 4th from 5-6:30 pm with entertainment and refreshments. I would love to see you there!!!