On The Farm

Graphite study of Morgan      14 x 9 1/2"

Lately our winter has been a bit mild, gray....rainy. We had a lovely snow fall that blanketed the farm in white that lasted a while ...brightened our landscape for a while until the rain, winds and warm temperature began.

White snow to drape our fields

Now our farm sits surrounded by brown and gray woods, and today gray sky. In a spot in our woods, not far from the bubbling brook, there stands a tree that has nestled in its branches a huge squirrel nest. It fascinates me. I image cozy rooms inside....a bed room with leaf covered bed, a living room with games  for squirrel sized hands to play, a kitchen with a larder stuffed full of nuts and seeds.It makes me smile to think what might be taking place in this high rise homestead. It is a squirrel cottage on Cob Cottage Farm!

A Woodland home

During the bad weather I have been working in the studio, [ See the above graphite study.] with occasional breaks to walk the dogs and care for the horses. I have shipped paintings off to their new homes, hoping that they brighten someone's Christmas, and have finished Holiday commissions. I have news that I know I need to get sent out in a current newsletter to clients. You can sign up for my email newsletters just by going to my website and opting to take part.

I am headed out now.... out for a quick walk with the dogs, down to the barn to give the horses some hay. I know Victoria ,one of our Welsh Cob mares, is waiting for hers. She stands and looks up at the house, contacting me through osmosis...."FEED ME!!!"

"Feed Me!"

Changes In The Making

  

This is a view of my studio as it was ...in my loft....cozy, but very cramped.The ceiling slanting down to a point that I had to go on my hands and knees [not a pretty sight] to get to my paints and papers stored. I can't count how many times I got up from my kneeling stool, that I sit on when working at my drawing board, only to bang my head on the ceiling above. My easel fit in the high side of the studio,where I could stand and look out the windows down onto the gardens below.... and down onto the fields with the barn and our horses. Lovely to look at, but I couldn't stand back and look at my painting in progress for fear of backing up and falling down the spiral stair case. [Not a pretty site either!]

So we are in the process of moving me and all that my studio entails, down the spiral staircases..down into the bowels of Cob Cottage ...where I will have a large...all on one floor studio with a ceiling high enough to stand up in and more....a room with a view onto my back gardens and the arbor.The room is darker for sure, but I can light it artificially. The added advantage is also the fact that I can use my oil paints here, far from our bedroom....and during warmer weather I will be able to work with the back door open ....or just step outside and paint plein air!!!

So soon I will be able to post some photos of the new space[ which is not a pretty sight ...at this point! ] And I so look forward to a positive change in studio space and artistic environs and atmosphere!

In the mean time....please take a look at my new page added on this blog with small 20 minute 'challenge' [or less] sketches done in pen and ink or pencil of any old subject that comes to my mind..... a change too of endeavors! [ Look up under my heading above to see the new pages added on my blog!! Look up!!! ]

P.S. This challenge was prompted by fellow artist, friend and blogger Michael Nobbs . I challenge you to follow him and his neat creative and thought provoking blog! Michael is a hoot!!