Bath Time - Mural Mosaic Panel #235

A few months ago I joined the new Mural Mosaic equine artists team. The title of the mural is Le Cadeau de Cheval-The Horse Gift in celebration of the horse.
You can check out the impressive list of artists here: http://www.muralmosaic.com/Horse/artists.html
As the pieces are finished, they're updated here: http://www.muralmosaic.com/Cadeau.html
Each artist was sent a panel painted with part of the design. We were to paint an equine-themed piece that fit with the color and design of the panel. I received a bluish panel that reminded me of water. Looking through my reference photos, I found a great picture of Rose playing with the hose during one of her summer baths.
The finished mural will be displayed at various locations across North America beginning with THE MASTERS at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta Canada on September 3, 2008. A book will also be made featuring each panel.

Bath Time

Since I was 14 years old, my horse Rose has been with me. When I got her she was a 6 year old retired racehorse who had far more energy than I knew what to do with. Luckily for me she was always a great teacher. I learned how to be calm and patient and ride through Rose’s happy energetic explosions. Early on it certainly was frustrating but she made me work hard to be a better rider. She wouldn’t allow me to be just a passenger. Rose has always pushed me to ride better, to find new solutions to her issues and to understand what she’s telling me. Through the years we have participated in 4-H together, moved to college, and eventually Rose and I settled in New Jersey. Because of all the gifts she’s given me I felt she was a perfect fit for the theme of Le Cadeau du Cheval.

This piece depicts bath time which is one of her favorite times in the summer. She loves to lean into the spray on her head and drinks from the hose. She always seems to be smiling at me when she’s getting cooled off and no matter how many times it happens it always makes me smile as well.

Now at 24, although a bit arthritic, she’s content to be a wonderful trail horse. I can’t imagine any other horse being such a consistent teacher and friend for 18 years.

The original panel:

Last 3 pieces going to the Grand National Art Show

I finally finished the work I'm sending to the Grand National Art Show. I'm sending the 2 from previous posts called Listen and Patience. I'm also sending Determination that I created for the art show called Driven in Maine the other year. I posted it below if you haven't seen that one before. They're all pastels since that's what I've been into lately.

"Determination"
There’s a strength and determination in a carriage horse. These quiet workhorses are built to willingly pull a heavy load. Focusing on the bridle, ears and legs, this piece was based on the carriage horses of Central Park in New York City.

"Landscape on Horseback"
The delicate Arabian. The strong Friesian. The aged Thoroughbred.The curious Thoroughbred colt. The horse’s back is perfectly shaped to carry their rider. There are so many variations of shape from breed to breed and the back changes with the age of the horse. Looking over the backs of these horses reminded me of a landscape. They created undulating hills and valleys. The ears of the colt like the trees atop a mountain.

"The Jumper"
Some breeds of horse are specifically talented at jumping fences. Their powerful legs catapult them over enormous obstacles. The launch, the flight and the landing require precision without which the horse or rider could easily be injured. By concentrating on the legs, this piece draws attention to the agility and power of the show jumper’s stride.

Listen - Abstract horse drawing

This is one of the pieces I recently finished to send to the Grand National Art Show. I focused on the horse's ears. There's so much that a horse tells you with their ears. You know when they're focused on you when you're riding by the way one ear cocks back to check on you. Their ears also show when they're paying far more attention to what's going on outside the ring than to their rider. There's many times when out on trail that my horse has warned me of four-wheelers, dirt bikes, bears and other horses long before I heard them approaching just from the flick of her ears. Horses also display their hostility and aggression when they flatten their ears back. Every horseperson knows to use caution around a horse with their ears back. This piece is called Listen. It was created in pastels and is 18 inches square.

After Longeing - Watercolor horse painting

This painting shows a trainer leading a horse she's just finished longeing. It's about 10 inches by 13 inches. I posted the sketches in an earlier post so you can see how this piece started and how it turned out. I still have some work to do on it but I think it's mostly done.
I started it as a piece I was going to send to the Grand National Art Show in April but I decided to go a different direction and send my abstract work. I have some pieces done that I hope to post shortly.

Abstract Friesian drawing

Last fall I went to a Friesian horse show with two other members of the Equine Art Guild to photograph the horses as reference for future work. It was a rainy day so we weren't sure what we'd get but the sun came out and we ended up getting some great pictures.
I'm working on some abstract artwork for an art show in April. I started this piece awhile ago from the photos I took at the Friesian show. Friesian horses are known for their black coats, long mane and tail and feathered hooves. They also have an intelligent, willing spirit. I called this one Patience. The stallions that posed for this piece seemed so calm and patient. It's 20 inches by 16 inches.
This and other pieces will be at Grand National Art Show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, CA from April 4-12, 2008. The show runs in conjunction with the Grand National Rodeo, Horse and Stock Show.

Happy Holidays!

Hope everyone had a happy holiday whichever holiday you chose to celebrate! Here's our card for this year. We all decided to go sledding! I hope this next year I have more time to create. Now that the wedding album I started 2 years ago is finally finished I have a lot of painting plans for the coming year.


I'm also a finalist in the monthly art contest on www.asingularcreation.com. The theme this month was Feeling Blue. I submitted one of my abstract horse drawings entitled Determination. There's a lot of interesting work submitted this month.
Check out the gallery of all of the work at the link below.
The Feeling Blue Gallery
You can see and vote for the finalists at the following link. You have to be a member of the site to vote. If you feel inclined, it's a free membership and you can sign up and vote for the art you like.
The Feeling Blue finalists list

Children's book story and calendars

So it's been awhile since my last post. I've been so busy working on things that I haven't had a chance to get back to my blog. Since there's been other things going on at home in the evening, I've been drawing on the train. I can get quite a bit done in my 45-minute ride depending on where I sit. I'm lucky if I get a window seat in the middle of the train car. There's a better chance that I won't get crowded in and my drawing hand won't bop the person next to me or vice versa. Also, the middle is a bit further from the brakes so my seat doesn't get quite as much vibration which of course wreaks havoc on my drawings. The downside of the middle is that I don't get a good view of sleeping commuters to draw. No matter! I was working on sketches for a children's book story written by Erik Soulliard about a girl that dreams of a pony. How fitting! Below are two pencil sketches. I have about 10 of the 30 or so done. Some of these may even be a part of a mural I'm doing in a little girl's bedroom in the coming months. She really liked my Cute Pony art and this is in that same style.
My art was also chosen to be in the ArtWanted Animals and Landscapes daily 2008 calendars! My art in the Animal calendar will be featured on February 19, 2008 and another piece will be featured on June 21, 2008 in the Landscape calendar. You can Pre-order a calendar at http://www.artwanted.com/ps/Calendar
It's recommended that you pre-order by November 15 if you're interested in one because they sell out of these quickly.
They also have a new widget that adds the portfolio I have on their site to my blog. Check it out at the bottom of this page!