From The Loft 1 And 2

This idea came to life a while ago.

First I finished the casein and acrylic painting above and liked it. The concept excited me...so back I went up into our barn hayloft this winter and came up with the design for a second painting, same size [16 x 20"] and medium. The composition called for a vertical format for the second painting. I just finished it today and was able to shoot it with the digital before I varnish it. I can get a better photo of it before it is varnished . Casein is a lovely paint to get prints from, as the paint has a matte and velvety finish. But I wanted to protect these works with varnish, as they will not be framed by me. Having been done on gallery wrapped canvas, they are ready to hang without a frame.

The above painting is titled "From The Loft-Summer". The black horse depicted is my special man , Imperial Dominator D., a now 28 year old man, turning gray...but still the head of the herd on our farm and our resident grouch. Dom and I have logged about 1000 competitive miles over his [and my] lifetime. And as I said, he is my 'main man'. He and I have a very special relationship that has grown over the many miles of trail we have covered in the past. I know him so well.



"From The Loft-Winter" depicts my black Tennessee Walker gelding , Duster. Duster is 22 this year. I find it is hard to believe how fast time has gone. It seems like yesterday that Duster was born on our Pownal farm and I was there with his mother "Ebony" when he arrived. He has been a good boy all his life ...even if a bit too to eager to do his job at times. He and his buddy Dom are my models for all my "Shades of Black" series.

It seems I have a non-ending source of inspiration here on Cob Cottage Farm.

And So, Where Is Spring?

According to the calendar it is officially spring. Tell that to the robins who are looking for worms hidden under 3 more inches of the white stuff! And now the wind is starting to blow.

Poor birds!

The above is a quick casein with watercolor and pen and ink thrown in for good measure. I just grabbed what seemed right at the moment. I call it "Part Cob". It is a painting of a driving horse who lived near our farm when we lived in Pownal, Maine. It is available for purchase, but it will not be put on my website.

Waiting Our Turn

Maine Carriage Day is one of New England's oldest pleasure driving shows.For years it was held at Cumberland Fair Grounds, then moved to different spots, Snowfields in Pownal, and other training barns that had room for it. This year it is being held at Skyline Farm in North Yarmouth, and will have a different format.It will be held with dress classes and turnout classes being the most important themes. I hope to be there to get shots of interesting turnouts for future paintings, and to help with the ongoing art show that is still exhibited, "A Dog And Pony Show".

The small work pictured above is of a whip and her Morgan from a Maine Carriage Day event of years ago. This is a 5 x7 inch casein on canvas board. It of course is available for purchase.

This weekend we are heading to Acadia and Wildwood Stable to go driving with friends and their beautiful pair of Clydesdale's! I am looking forward to spending this time steeped in the tradition of carrige driving and the beauty of the carriage roads of Acadia, one of Maine's greatest treasures.

Jacob Cotswold

There was a farm on a road near us where a lady raised sheep. There were 'flocks' of them..big, little, ewes, rams, and baby lambs. I was fascinated with them. They sported horns....some had many horns, so many they could have formed their own band!!

I stopped one day on my way to Belfast for shopping and talked with the lady who had all these sheep. She was very proud of all her flock and let me snap photos of them for future paintings. This is the first of my works depicted these neat sheep.

They are an ancient breed that are mentioned in the Bible. This was my first introduction to Jacob Cotswold sheep, a rare breed. I have raised sheep before, as a child on my family's farm in New Hampshire for 4-H, and again on our farm in Pownal, Maine. I always loved sitting with the sheep, listening to them chewing their hay and the peacefulness of the barn.

I miss my sheep...............but for now 4 horses,a cat and a Corgi are work enough.

I will stick to painting my sheep.