My Advice...... Gather No Moss



"Gather No Moss" , mixed media, 12 x 12" copyright 2017 www.kathipeters.com
 



  Always moving it seems. Seldom still. A horse grazes, covering ground in search of food.....and rolls to rid it's self of burdens and bugs.

A scene that is often seen on our farm ....and on farms and plains all across our land.

Like a rolling stone......gather no moss.

This is another in my foray into abstraction work. I will continue to explore my abstraction and representational mix. I hope you like it!

I will paint

 

 

"Gather No Moss" is available , and ready to ship to your home.  

Burro In Harness

"Burro In Harness" , mixed media, 18 x 12"

 

Long Ears have always fascinated me since I was a child.  I have had ponies, horses. ..big and small over the years. .... Yet I have never had a burro, donkey or ass. I remember the sweet burros that were pulling brightly colored carts on the Canary Islands and Sicily on my first voyage to Europe. This burro was from a locale closer to where I live now. This cute fellow is an American 'Equus Asinus'.....and he is a fine subject.

 

This mixed media work is done in charcoal, conte and gouache on Strathmore Gray Scale paper. This work is available through Equis Art Gallery in Red Hook, NY.

Watercolor - Feeding On The Veldt, Zulu

    "Feeding On The Veldt, Zulu" , watercolor and tempera, 8 x 10.5" copyright 2017 kathipeters.com

This painting of Africa has been in my private collection for a while. I always dreamt about getting back to see more of Africa, but I don't think it is going to happen. I haven't taken it off my bucket list yet......

This painting is a mixed media work done in tempera, watercolor and pen and ink

 

This sweet work is available now , unframed. The horses of Africa.

Big Painting For A Small Studio

"INVERNO",  Mixed Media , 30 x 40"

 

I often have painted large works. I have always felt a bit cramped in my studio when I slap that big canvas on the easel and start blocking in the image …..But my latest large work [large for me at 30 x 40”] just came together easily and I never felt like my creative vision was too big for my small studio.  My creative muse soared as I took a simple scene of one of our Morgan boys dancing on his winter mound of hay, surrounded by bright sunlight snow, against the sun’s glow through the forest that surrounds our farm. I played with graphic design a bit more in “Inverno” than my work of late. I’m feeling there will be more work like this one in my future. Maybe a throw back to my years of graphic design and commercial art.

I used my oil paints, my casein paints, and acrylic paint and oil pastels in “Inverno”,  over the initial sketch done in charcoal. I played around with this painting. I think it worked!

“Inverno” is available …..Ready to make a statement in its new home!

Back From Saratoga & Back To Work

At the race track...

It seems that time just flew by. Last week was taken up with packing, getting the farm sitters introduced to our daily routine and then the drive to Saratoga Springs. And now here we are back home,getting our life back on track with the art show and the excitement of the racetrack behind us.

My work hanging at Equidae Gallery,in the Holiday Inn in Saratoga Springs,NY.

It was nice to get "off the farm" and to see new places, horses galore at the track,and wonderful art work in Saratoga galleries....but now I am back in my studio, working on the two paintings I started in my casein painting demonstration that I did for Equidae Gallery  in Saratoga.One of the paintings is turning into a mixed media piece....I have gone into it with my Sennelier oil pastels and am liking it!

The gardens grew while we were gone....the grass grew.....the weeds grew. We have our work cut out for us,so to speak, when the rain has stopped. But for now, I am painting away making up for lost time. A gallery is asking for new work for an October show! So it's back to the drawing board!

A new casein turned mixed media ....in progress!!

Knowing Where I Am Going

I have been asked by so many about my process of painting, how do I paint? How do I pick my subject matter and how do I approach a work?

Writing my process is the hard job...[ Can you say Aphasia?].......
but maybe showing it might be easier for me!

I recently started a large canvas of a horse and rider that I saw when I was at the Kentucky Horse Park. I was down there for my solo show at Gallery B in Lexington, in May.There was a hunter jumper 3-phase going on at The KHP that peaked my interest, so I sat and watched it for a while. I watched the stadium jumping and the warm up arena where there were various equestrians warming up, practicing and some were even taking last minute lessons with their trainers.There was eye candy for me everywhere and so hard for me to focus on what I felt I needed to capture. But this one rider and her horse kept piquing my interest....they had movement and excitement. So that is how I pick my subject matter ...to start. Above is the charcoal sketch I did on the 40 x 30" canvas.

Then I go in with my colors to give it some design....some definition as to what colors I want to use ..the darks and lights, and the entire composition element of the work. I have decided the depth of the work and where the light is coming from.

With casein, I have to wait while the paint dries between phases.....before I can go back in to glaze the next color over or if I want to intensify the current color. In my process I glaze, cross- hatch, dark over light...or light over dark...what suits my purpose. There are NO rules...and with casein I can do thin washes , graded washes,or do scumbling or broken colors techniques. I sometimes add a bit of acrylic into my casein paint....sometimes I add a larger concentration of casein emulsion into my paint. What I do in one painting is not necessarily what I do in the next.
I guess that is how I address life. There are no rules. Life changes and should the input and out put.

So this is where I am with this painting so far. Have I answered any questions?

What I Do When The Snow Falls

And I have been doing a lot of it lately.. CREATE!!... as we get hit with yet another round of snow and wind and cold!! The only hope that keeps me sane is the fact that winter is almost over and under all the snow sleeps my perennial gardens...and I will be digging in dirt and transplanting soon!! [After all this snow melts!]

The above "work-in-progress painting is a 18 x 18" on canvas that was started in casein and I am into it now with pastels. It is coming along 'smashing-ly' and I can't get enough of it! The hunt reference shot was provided by a fellow EAG-er ...I just loved the way the tails of the hounds fill the air and wag throughout the composition. I have changed things a bit for my purpose..but still the tails wag!

My dogs were just walked and love the new snow....all I see of Nellie, the JRT, is her butt most of the time. She is hunting varmints under the white blanket.....Addie, our PWC , is busy rolling around in the snow.....to each their own!

Two In The Snow

After a weekend of snow, yesterday was spent shoveling [yes, yet again] and digging out. I was left with the job as my husband had to head to work. At least that is what he said!

Our JRT and PWC pups are really dwarfed by the walls of snow left by our plow guy. But they are having fun looking for squirrel holes and deer tracks in the paths we have especially plowed for the pooches.

I did get some time to get some sketches done between shoveling events and back and forth's to the barn and horses. A graphite of a young buck seen in our back woods is almost done...and will be a painting at some point! I have also started a BIG casein for my "From The Loft" series. These paintings are being done with a mixed media of casein, acrylic, and charcoal. I guess I will post "In Progress" shots of the new one as I go. You asked for it...I always want to keep you happy!!
And then I am also working on works to be shown this summer in Saratoga, NY..at Equidae Gallery.I have been asked to do a casein demonstration there too during the show...and I have a show coming up in Lexington too in May...more on that later!

This day is a special day...my radio will be tuned into the inauguration of our new president Obama. I am sure every one will be watching this historic event.

Poor Girl's Pony

My mother always liked the photo of her riding one of the pigs on the farm down in PA. and I have always been enthralled by it since I was a kid. This one is for you, Mom.............

I do have a photo of Mom riding a pony, and will probably paint that one too soon....but this one was so much fun. I did it with mixed media - with casein,acrylic, photocopy and pen and ink. I call it "Poor Girl's Pony" and it is sized 12 x 12" on board. Someday I will get more into the process, but need to get started on a papercut while the weather cooperates.

More later!

How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm?

I don't really know where these works are coming from....other than I am feeling a need to document my family's roots and the folks that came out of the Pennsylvanian farms where my mother grew up and formed her persona. They say we become our mother as we age..........boy, when I look in the mirror these days I see my Mom!

This painting is a 6 x 8" mixed media...a small step out of my comfort zone as far as media goes. But I must admit I am having fun with this detour and have several other works on the easel that also deal with the family and the farms. I call this painting "How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm?" ....after that same song which asked the question about how they would kept on the farm after they saw Paris! [or "Par-ie"?].

This past weekend we celebrated birthdays on our Morrill farm...some being celebrated a bit late, but better late than never, I always say. I watched our grandchildren playing on our farm........running through the field and orchard. It is so good that even though our farm is small and not at all self sufficient, that our kids can still have a farm type of environment to experience in this day and age of computers and quick fixes. Nothing quick about mucking stalls and throwing hay bales! There is a gentle rhythm about the days here on Cob Cottage Farm.

That is why I love it.

Where To Go Next?

Yesterday afternoon I went back into this work done on illustration board with my casein paints and I am at a point now that either I get focused in on my subjects, or let it go and leave it as it is. Open and loose and undefined. I need to think about this for a while.

And while I wait [thinking] , I am getting started on horse art works from my KY trip......good stuff. New stuff. I will be working on watercolor paintings to get started on these pieces.

At the same time I am working on some very different for me, new work, mixed media and collage...hmmmmmmmm.... and where will I go with these??

I will leave you guessing??!!

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!

Happenings at Cob Cottage and Elsewhere

I have been invited by Anderson Galleries of Locust Valley, NY, to participate in an art exhibit, “Horses in Art” opening at the gallery on Thursday May 1, 2008. Paintings and sculpture from the show will first be previewed and exhibited at opening day at Belmont Racetrack, Wednesday April 30th at a private luncheon. How I wish I could be there for that! But our four horses, our Corgi and cat keep me at home feeding, cleaning and doing for them. I am often the artist in absentia. My painting “Gypsy Vanner and Wagon” is headed down south for that show. This is the watercolor and tempera painting shown above.

And THEN my mixed media painting “My World” took first place at the Grand National Western Art Exhibit and Sale that was held at the Cow Palace in Daly City, CA. last week. This painting is done in casein, and liquid gold leaf……….a dreamy work with white horse and moon. Several of my ‘Shades of Black’ Series where also hung at that show.

Today I will try and work in the studio…with the sun and warmth calling me outside. My spring bulbs are peeping up in the perennial gardens and I even see my curly onion tops emerging through the ground in the veggie garden. There is much to do outside…. but much to do inside too…what a predicament??? Which way to go???

What I Do When I Procrastinate

After taking care of our four horses, walking the Corgi and shoveling the snow that was steadily accumulating, I headed up to my studio with a cup of hot tea and "whipped" out this pen and ink on illustration board. It is of two horses who were taking part in a Civil War reenactment. Their bridles are like what the army used back then...........but this was an reenactment...I am NOT old enough to have seen the real thing!!! The photo reference of these horses came from a fellow Equine Art Guild member.

But doing this sketch gave me a needed break from the paper cutting I am working on.... a hunt scene with very small detail. I get so "into" a zone when I do paper cutting, that I forget the time and very often I also forget what I am supposed to be doing. Today was not a good day to be cutting. But it turned out to be a good day for a small [ about 7 1/2 by 8 1/2" ] pen and ink rendering.
I will be putting this work onto my mixed media gallery page on my website.

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!!