The Equestrian

I am painting today when I should be getting things together 'better' for my solo show with Gallery B in Lexington, KY. in May. But I really believe one [ meaning me!] needs to paint while the muse is hot. So I finished this mixed media painting [ 10 x 10 1/4"] of my mother as "The Equestrian". As I explained before in an early post on my blog, and will explain again.....I am working on a series of works depicting my family and times in their lives. I feel a need at this point in my life to make a statement about my family's past. I am hoping that someone will connect with this statement and understand what I am trying to say. At times I don't really know What I am saying?!! So good luck to us all!!

The wind has kicked up a notch here on the farm and gray clouds have replaced the sun that shone earlier. Spring is being it usual fickle self. I don't mind though as the promise of bulbs bursting and flowers blooming is so evident! So while the weather brews a storm, I will take care of things that need being done for the May show and think about what I plan on doing in the gardens when weather permits. It will at some point! It always does!

Lipizzan Work Ethic

In spite of weather that is calling me to come out and dead-head spent perennials in my flower gardens…and to pick zucchini that are growing bigger by the second….I have been working on a watercolor and an new mixed media work. The watercolor is done, 18" x 8" and is called ‘Lipizzan Work Ethic”. When I saw the intense eye on this Lipizzaner and the power in the neck…I knew I had to paint this. Consider it done. And again I want to thank my good friend Juliet for your inspirational photograph.

I also finished the watercolor of Herefords and sheep, a winter scene from our old farm in North Pownal. For years we raised our own meat and veggies during our ‘ back to the earth” phase. Talk about being ‘green’? We were green before it became politically correct!

The mixed media piece I am doing, I did first in graphite to get my values right and to decide how I wanted to put the composition together…and I have now decided to do this one in acrylic and casein. I will be using the paints together, and this gives the work a different finish………another farm inspired work…getting ready for the Skyline Exhibit in September.

I am loving my new website and the fact that I can update it and change ” whatever” whenever I want. Check it out……… and the new artworks !!

Me? Acrylics? Never!

Well......we should never say never.



The two acrylics - above and below - have just been finished and I must say, I am a bit pleased with the way they came out. They are both 9 x 12" on gallery wrapped canvas and ready to hang on a wall...together or separately. I will be doing more work with acrylics in the future. I am using acrylics with some of my casein paintings too, finding an interesting effect with the mix. So one could say I am getting into more mixed media works of late. These two works were inspired by our Welsh Cob Filly, Maggie. In a previous post I showed the graphite study I had done of this filly's eye, to figure out the format I wanted for the paintings.





The weather has been so lovely lately in Morrill, Maine. This is a such a nice change from the long winter we had. I am trying so hard be good and work in the studio ...but goodness... the sun and the gardens call for me. How can one concentrate?
I have also been walking our Cob mare Victoria...some folks walk their dog...I walk my Cob. She enjoys the time to get out and away from the herd...and I enjoy having her company. Her daughter Maggie isn't too pleased that her mother is getting out and about without her...........but such is life!

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.

Jack Russell In Charge

This is a casein of a subject who I have painted before. Sitting by his owner in the car, and making sure they are headed in the right direction, this JR is in charge. I have painted this same scene in watercolor, but I was asked to do it in casein...and I always do what I am asked. Yeh, right................