Back Home Again

What a trip! The whole experience went by too fast. But I am happy to be home in Cob Cottage !!!

The Kentucky Horse Park is huge....and it was HOT and this ole' New Englander is not used to that sort of heat. But with downing a lot of H2O I managed to survive.
On the evening of 18th my friend, Bobbye and I went to the opening and book signing of "Equestrian Style" at Gallery B in Lexington. It was so neat to meet Vicky Moon and to actually see the gallery on Main Street. My contact with Vicky, prior to the publication of the book, was all email and by phone. I had never been down to Lexington to see the gallery either. It was a lovely reception...good food, wine and very interesting people to talk to. Lyn Raff, photographer and editor of Horse Art magazine was at the signing too and we got a chance to talk. I enjoyed my 'outing'.

Bobby and I spent two days doing the Kentucky Horse Park and Keeneland Race Track... we even got to The Red Mile to see where I have been showing for years at Tattersall's Harness Tracks of America's Annual Art Exhibit and Auction. My paintings and papercuts had been seen and been hung in these spots..but this was a first for me! I was able to get neat morning shots at Keeneland stable and exercising shots.... Bobbye, who grew up there as a kid while her father 's horses raced, knew where to take me ...what to see...so I was able to get the feel and aura of the this racing Mecca.



The demonstrations at the Horse Park were great and afforded me a primo chance to get wonderful reference shots for future paintings. This shot above of a Spotted Saddle Horse 'dancing the pole' is just one of the shots that I have to inspire me. [I am wondering if my Walking Horse , Duster and I can do this???] The best surprise though was getting to see Clay Maier and his Friesian pair that he rides tandem! Awesome!

The Champagne Run Horse Trials were going on too...I got some neat dressage shots.

And I actually got to see the American Academy of Equine Art's building and to watch Shelly Hunter doing a sculpture workshop. The Carriage Association of America's Museum was closed..that was a let down.....but we did go into the Horse Museum to get out if the heat for a bit.

My advice....if you are into horses...plan a trip to the Kentucky Horse Park. I will go back ...but next time it will not be done in the summer!!! I will stay home in Maine where Life is like it is supposed to be!!

Her Horse Was Blue

At least that is how he looked to me.... very blue...! This casein is done. It is 12 x 9" and is painted on Colorfix paper. I finished it this afternoon as my corgi lay beside me in my studio. While I waited for this work to dry, I worked on the two watercolors I am doing, one will be going to the 'Fertile Ground' show that will be exhibited at Skyline Farm, in North Yarmouth this September. More on that later.

My bags are packed and I leave on Thursday flying down to Lexington, KY for the first book signing of "Equestrian Style", Vicky Moon's new book at Gallery B. I shipped out my papercuts on Friday that will be shown at the Gallery ...That all will happen on Friday evening , the 18th. I hope to get time to see a bit of Lexington, the Kentucky Horse Park and the beautiful farms around that part of Kentucky on Friday and Saturday.

I am going to have a vacation from shovelling horses stalls!!! YAY!!!

Published?

Some news about what has been happening career -wise for me while I have been 'playing' in my gardens.....

I have had two artworks chosen to be featured in a new book By Vicky Moon, titled “Equestrian Style -Home Design, Couture, and Collections from the Eclectic to the Elegant “ to be coming out next month. [July 2008] It is published by Clarkson Potter. The book captures the equestrian way of life with an unprecedented peek into several dozen stunning residences…. a French-accented mansion decorated with contemporary horse art; an equestrian resort on 395 acres—complete with cottages for owners to rent and a large private collection of carriages; a spa with a swimming pool for horses; and a working barn that Kathryn Ireland decorated to do double duty as a home for a professional horseman, riding instructor, and model, and whose students included Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

“Rhapsody In Blue”, a casein painting of A Friesian under saddle and “Acadian Four”, a cut paper drawing of a coaching scene at Acadia, were picked to illustrate equestrian actives for select chapters of the book. “Equestrian Style” is certain to be a good read for horse lovers everywhere.

These two artworks will be exhibited at Gallery B in Lexington, KY at several book signings for Ms Moon's Equestrian Style" new publication held at the Gallery.