Maine Winters Are Not Gray When Seen With An Artist's Eye

There have been hints of spring in the air, but as the saying goes, “No cigar”. With brief reprieves from winters cold blasts we have experienced some days with temps up into the 50’s and the horses spent those days basking in the warm sunshine. Today dawned sunny but temps will be headed back down below freezing again and snow that was melting quickly has turned into ice, making the trek to the barn a journey of walk slow and careful.

I finished a new casein work, a winter scene in our winter wonderland. “Forward” is now available on my website. I can’t get enough of the colors that winter brings to the landscape…the purples, blues and pinks. Add the copper coats of a chestnut horse and I am in heaven! “Forward” was inspired by all those colors. Who says winter is colorless???

 

 "Forward" , Casein on board,  12 x 12"  ©2014 kathi peters

Now back to the paint! New works in the work!!

Having Studio Fun And Learning

With new ink and pens sitting waiting for some time for me... I toot a few days for doing fun things with them. One work done was a 9 1/2 x 9 1/2" sketch of my granddaughter Jackie. If she lived closer, I would love to have her as a model more often. But this was done from a photo and that had to do. It is a work closer to works what I did years ago when I lived in Italy. It is fun and loose. I need to do these more often. I promised myself that I would!

Then when I was looking through old photos for inspiration for new paintings , I came across a scene I wanted to sketch. It was a photo of a statue that had intrigued me on one of our trips to Saratoga Springs, NY ,  where I had work with Equidae Gallery. I loved the statue's up held arm with the fingers bend and one finger missing. I loved the flowers clutched to her breast. So another  pen and ink came to life.

It was enlightening to get back into pen and ink...and it has me exciting about some new ideas I have for future works.....

But now ......back to painting!

New Cover With My Art,Two Casein Painting Done And More Snow

 

Winter contiues in our part of the country. Heating bills skyrocket and I have to admit to a bIt of cabin fever. But through it all I have managed to finish two casein paintings that are up on my website. I also did some sketching and playing around with pen and ink. I am not one for wintersports...so most days find me in my studio working on something.Or reading.

"Out Of Focus"  Casein on paper,  9 x 7"

 "Round And Around"   Casein and mixed media on paper      9 x 12"

 February  started with the arrival of the new issue of The Horse's Maine featuring my work on the cover. My painting "Color On A Gray Winter Day" graced this month's publication. Thank you Horse's Maine for that honor.  A fitting image for the start of the Chinese "Year Of The Horse".......hope this is my year too!!

And so I paint!!!

I Have To Have Another Studio Sale & Have 2 New Paintings Done

 

They say that it is good to let go...move on ...clear clutter...and I have decided to have another studio clean up sale.  “A Mid-Winter Special Studio Sale Of Art Work “ .  The work offered in this studio sale can be seen on my website on a page created specifically for that sale. I hope there a painting there that you cannot live without! It is ‘ Easy Peasey’ to buy it with Buy Buttons through secure PayPal.  Help me de-clutter and buy hay for my horses!!

I have finished a new water color of a driving pair. Another ground driving painting, with the movement and brio that can take part in even the simple discipline of ground driving horses. “Ground Driving the Pair” is now up available on my Equine Art page.

"Ground Driving The Pair" , watercolor,  17 x 16"  ©2014 www.kathipeters.com

 As soon as I finished the watercolor, I did a small casein of a Jack Russell pup….our hairy Nell modeled for me. She is a cheap model!  One chewy bone and she is good to go.

"Soft and Fuzzy"  casein on gallery wrapped canvas ,  6 x 6"

I am waiting for spring with such a longing. This winter has been brutal....warmth and green growing will be welcomed!

Until it comes.........I will paint!

A New Painting - Alone With A Friend

The first painting of 2014 is done. It is a painting that is really an image from my mind....a feeling that I have had the privilege of experiencing many times throughout my life. A sweet moment. Alone, but not lonely. A girl with her horse.

"Alone With A Friend"  Casein  , 16 x 20" ©2014 www.kathipeters.com

It feels good to have a large [for me] painting under my belt for the beginning of the year. Love my caseins, but feel a need to get back into doing some watercolors again. So I have a large [for me] watercolor of a driving pair in the works. It feels good to be pushing the paint around....love my watercolors! Each medium I use has a different feel and forces me to approach it differently. I  think it helps keep my eye fresh and my work evolving. I hope so anyway.
So now back into the paint.....................

News ..I Am Added To A New Art Gallery In Red Hook, N.Y.

2014 started with a weather pattern that is more or less erratic. But I don’t think I am telling you something you aren’t aware of. With an ice storm that left us without power…or heat... in below freezing temperatures ,  our farm is covered with a coating of ice which is making it hard to walk ...but oh so easy to slide…often unintentionally. So I walk carefully into the New Year with cleats on my winter boots and trying to grab time in the studio.  The cold weather means more work on the farm and less artistic time for me.

The good news is that I have been invited into a new art gallery in Red Hook, NY. So this week I packaged up 7 paintings to go to Equis Art Gallery, in Red Hook…..and I look forward to a great working relationship with them. This gallery that is representing some of the best international equine artists, and it is the dream incarnate of equine photographer Juliet Harrison. How appropriate that her "stable of artists" includes some amazing equine artists! I am so flattered to be part of that dream.

"Four In Hand From Above"  casein on paper  12 x 9"  ©2012 www.kathipeters.com

 One of my works that will be exhibited in Equis Art Gallery is my casein painting “Four In Hand From Above”, a painting that was inspired from a loft view of a coaching turnout that was up at Acadia’s Wildwood Stables years ago. I am always inspired to paint carriage driving scenes and the lofty view of any subject is also a view I have painted throughout the years. Equis Art Gallery is interested in my carriage driving art work. I will strive to create some more works with just that subject.

BACK TO THE STUDIO I GO…….There are paintings that need doing!

Good Bye 2013! Hello 2014!!! I am Ready!

 

Christmas has come and gone. Storms have buried my gardens and the farm in mantels of white. 2013 is almost done. I am excited about 2014. I anticipate a full plate of paintings, shows and new galleries. Bring it on!

 Commissions in 2013 took up a lot of my time. I will accept a limited amount of commission work in 2014, but hope the major part of the New Year will be all about original work, and working on some ideas I want to develop further.

One of my 2013 commission clients contracted me for 2 larger paintings of his driving horses, two different scenes and I enjoyed painting them both. Here they are! What handsome horses!

A 16 x 20" casein painting done on board

Driving through a sea of lupine.....casein on board 16 x 20"

It feels so good to be back in the studio and working again....a lot of new happenings are prompting me to pull up my socks and get to work. Love it!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!