Horse Portraits by Carrie L. Lewis

New Web Site Column

2006-09-08T15:16:00.000-04:00

In recent weeks, I have spent countless hours redesigning my web site. Adding new features. Improving existing features.

One of the things I have re-introduced is the Studio News column.

When I decided to follow my desires to create more original artwork, I also realized I needed a place to tell about those new ventures. A blog about portrait work did not seem like the best place to tell about the trials and errors of painting.

I did not want to change this blog, though. I will continue to do portrait work on a limited basis, especially when those portraits also fit my goals to expand my artistic horizons and to deepen painting skills. It was necessary to maintain this web log.

It soon became clear that the best thing to do was re-introduce the Studio News column. That page was still indexed, after all, and it would be very simple to bring it up to date to match the new web site design.

Studio News contains stories and articles about some of the shows, events and travels that affect my life as a painter of horses.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that a new and improved Studio News is now available on my web site. It is easier to read and loads faster than previous studio news columns. It also provides links to other sites that I think you will find interesting.

Articles and stories are arranged in two categories. Current stories are shown in their entirety and can be read on the Studio News page.

Older articles are available in the archive section, which can be accessed by links at the bottom of the page.

I invite you to stop by Studio News to see what's going on in the studio and what things are being planned or contemplated.

Expanding Horizons

2006-09-08T14:03:00.000-04:00

For over 30 years, I have been drawing and painting horses, mostly portraits of horses. I have a passion for watching and painting horses that was born within me and will remain with me until I can paint on the other side. It is part of who and what I am; almost as necessary as eating, sleeping...breathing.

I also enjoy doing portrait work. There is something very special about working with a horse owner to bring their beloved companion to life on canvas or paper for which there is no substitute.

But things are changing.

For the last year or so, it has taken months to produce portraits that should have taken weeks. It is inexcusable, but also unavoidable. Even having accepted fewer portraits this year than in the past has not helped the situation.

I am also experiencing a growth spurt in my art. I find I am looking more and more toward the types of paintings that tell stories. Paintings with settings, with subjects, with action, with motivation and inspiration.

There is a challenging and exciting shift somewhere within forcing me to look at my artwork and my studio time differently these days. This shift makes it necessary for me to reconsider the allocation of resources; most notably the resource of time.

After much prayer and consideration, I have decided that I need to change artistic gears. I will be focusing more on the type of artwork that stretches my skills and knowledge. Compositions that tell stories in the settings around me.

For those who have portraits in progress, there will be no outward changes. Portraits will be finished in as timely a manner as possible. Until those portraits are finished, they will remain my primary focus.

For those who have won or purchased custom portraits, but have not yet begun the process, rest assured my commitments to you will be honored. Whenever you are ready to get started on your project, we will work together to schedule the portrait and get it completed in as timely a manner as possible.

In the meantime, I have started a couple of new projects for myself. One of them is a painting of the mustangs of the Flint Hills. The Flint Hills have fascinated me since my first introduction to them. This painting, which is now in the planning stages, is the perfect way to combine a subject I have long loved, horses, with a landscape I have grown to love.

The other painting is a harness racing-related painting and is being developed from a series of photographs taken while I still lived in Michigan.

Even though painting is yet to begin on either of these projects, I have had a great deal of fun gathering reference, going on research trips and working out the details of each one.

I am greatly looking forward to continuing on this course. It is like a breath of fresh air!

New Portraits Completed

2006-07-28T12:34:00.000-04:00

July has been a very productive month, probably the most productive of the year when it comes to portrait work. Three miniature portraits were completed in the first half of July.

The first two portraits are a pair of ACEO (art trading card) portraits in colored pencil. The subject of these two portraits is a Quarter horse named Gunner. This project began with a single portrait, but Gunner's owner sent so many wonderful reference photographs that two drawings resulted.

Those two drawings resulted in two portraits, which I completed as a pair. Each area was worked simultaneously: Both backgrounds, both underpaintngs, both horses.

Of course, even working both portraits at once, one took the lead and was completed first. The second took a little bit more tweaking to bring to a finish. It was an interesting and fun project.

The third portrait is also a miniature, but is a little bit larger and was completed in oils.

Rujan was a Thoroughbred stallion living in Texas. He lived into his third decade. He made such an impact on his owner that she purchased this posthumous portrait over a decade later.

"Rujan" is a 6 inch by 4 inch oil portrait on canvas panel.

All three of these portraits were created using an adaptation of Johannes Vermeer's technique. With this technique, a full value underpainting is created in a single color, at most two colors. For colored pencil work, the underpainting is completed in Light Umber and Dark Umber. Oil paintings feature an underpainting of violet or brown, depending on the overall color scheme of the final painting. "Rujan" features an underpainting of Dioxazine Purple to complement his chestnut coloring.

This technique provides for a high degree of detail and glowing colors.

New Limited Edition Horse Prints

2006-06-15T03:20:00.000-04:00

I am very happy to announce that limited edition horse prints are now available at Carrie-Lewis.com.

What's new about that, you ask. Haven't reproductions been featured on the website since it's launch?

Yes, they have, but purchase opportunities have either been non-existant or clumsy as I explored various types of point-of-sale systems.

Thanks to my web host, FatCow.com, I have finally found the best doorway into the world of e-commerce.

A shopping cart system that allows visitors to make purchases directly from the web site has been added to the Horse Prints page and will eventually be site-wide. Powered by ShopSite8, this system includes secure socket links (SSL), order confirmation, shipping information and everything else visitors need to make secure purchases.

Payment options include all major credit cards through PayPal.

Products currently equipped with shopping carts include one thoroughbred racing image, two Quarter Horse racing images, two harness racing images and one image featuring a winsome Icelandic horse. For your shopping convenience, all six are in one location: a brand new Horse Prints page.

The Horse Prints page has been launched with all Standard Edition Reproductions. Standard Edition reproductions are 8 x 10 giclee reproductions on Somerset Paper. They are available in a limited edition of 275 for $49.95 plus tax (where applicable) and shipping. Standard editions are signed and numbered.

The reproductions offered by Carrie L. Lewis ~ Horse Painter are all produced as giclees from high resolution digital scans. You can learn more about this process and find other information about reproductions on my website.

Summer Portrait Special

2006-06-06T13:13:00.000-04:00

Beginning in June...

...portraits will be offered framed and ready to hang. You chose the size, the medium and the horse you want a portrait of and I will design and paint the portrait, then get it framed for you. Your finished portrait will arrive at your door framed and ready to hang!

A minimum deposit of one-third the price of the portrait is required to get your project on my work calendar.

Basic framing* is available on basic portraits** until September 30, 2006.

Portraits are available in oils or colored pencil for the same prices and in a variety of sizes.

For example, a framed 8x10 portrait in either colored pencil or oils will cost $450. A deposit of $150 is all you need to get your portrait scheduled.

If you would like something larger, try a 16x20 portrait for $900, with an order deposit of $300.

*These prices are for basic framing only. Framing for oil paintings will be with standard wood frames with linen liners. Framing for colored pencils will include a basic double mat with a complementary frame. Frames will be chosen to complement the finished portrait. Custom framing available is available. Add 50% of the overall cost of the framed portrait.

**These prices are for Basic Horse Portraits with one subject. A second subject may be added to the portrait for 50% of the overall cost of the framed portrait. The second subject may be a second horse, a second animal or a second image of the same horse.

Order deposits must be made by September 30, 2006 to be eligible for the Framed Portrait package. The portrait itself may be scheduled for up to one full year from the time of deposit payment. This can be especially important if you want to reserve a portrait, but cannot get started right away.

Payments to suit your budget may be made on the balance on a monthly basis.

If you would like a quote on your specific project or if you would like more information on this limited time offer, all you need to do is email me

*Photography services are not included.

More information on the Summer Portrait Special is available on my website.

Portrait Drawings & Sketches

2006-05-23T13:23:00.000-04:00

For the last year or so, I have been doing 'quick draws' and 'quick sketches' for customers at horse shows. It started innocently enough several shows back when someone asked if I would 'just do a drawing' of their horse. They were there. The horse was there. I was there at my art booth, so I said, "Sure! Why not?"

That single drawing was seen by others at the show and turned into four or five others by the end of the show. It was the best selling item of the day!

So I have been doing drawings and sketches by order at the horse shows ever since. I have also been doing drawings and sketches for myself between the orders and many of those also sold.

This week, these unique portrait drawings and sketches become part of my regular portrait categories. Portrait sketches start at $40 for an 8x10; portrait drawings start at $75 for an 8x10.

Portrait drawings and sketches are a unique and inexpensive way to combine your horse with custom original art.

Special Offers

2006-05-09T13:46:00.000-04:00

Upon occasion, I offer special discounts or incentives to portrait clients. Offers may include discounts on photography, shipping or the price of the portrait.

Incentives may include donations to special organizations. Some of my favorite organizations are therapeutic riding facilities and organizations that assist in the adoption of former race horses and other equine athletes. There are many organizations worthy of support and this is the best way for me to use the talent God has loaned to me to help others.

Beginning this month, I will be offering discounts or incentives to portrait customers on a monthly or semi-monthly basis.

If you are part of an organization you would like to have me consider for partnership, please let me know. I have some basic guidelines that I would be happy to share with you.

In the meantime, I would like to announce my first discount, this one directly to you!

May Special Offer
10% Off All New Portrait Orders* Until May 31, 2006

During the month of May, all new portrait orders will be eligible for a 10% discount. This is for the actual cost of the portrait only. No photography, shipping or framing is included in this discount.

For example, you could get a $500 portrait for only $450 or a $2,000 portrait for only $1,800. The amount of your discount will be based on the price of the portrait package you choose.

General Portrait Information is available on my website.

If you are not sure what types of portraits I do, information about Basic Portraits, Full Portraits, Performance Portraits, Specialty Portraits and Miniature Portraits is also available. These links include descriptions of each category, as well as samples of past horse portraits and beginning prices.

If your ideal portrait does not fit into any of these categories, never fear! Those special portraits are always a great favorite and I will work with you to produce your ideal portrait.

If you would like a quote on your specific project, all you need to do is email me with your portrait ideas and I will be able to tell you the amount of your discount.

Because this is a limited time offer, order deposits must be made by May 31, 2006 to be eligible for the discount. The portrait itself may be scheduled for up to one full year, until May 31, 2007.

Payments to suit your budget may be made on the balance on a monthly basis.

*Photography and framing services are not included.

Web Site Updates Complete

2006-04-25T13:29:00.000-04:00

The updates to my website, which were started in December, have now been completed. Several new sections have been added to the website, including special galleries for portraits and artworks for many different breeds, specialty artwork and portraits and artwork by medium.

Breed Categories Include:
Arabians
Draft horses
Icelandics
Michigan Standardbreds
Morgans
Pintos & Paints
Quarter Horses
Thoroughbreds

Specialty Categories Include:
ACEO Portraits & Artwork
ACEO Portraits & Artwork
Miniature Portraits & Artwork

Medium Categories Include:
oil paintings
colored pencil paintings

Whether or not you are interested in purchasing artwork for yourself or in having a portrait created of your favorite horse or other animal, I invite you visit my website to see the many types, sizes and samples of portraits and other artwork that are currently available.

Miniature Portrait Work in Progress

2006-04-05T14:20:00.000-04:00

March 29, 2006

Here is part of a project I have been working on for much too long. It started out as an ACEO sheet, with a series of images of race horses in the post parade. The first one was just a head study. This horse did not have a number and was treated almost like the winner in a nine-horse field.

I have since finished three others and have a fourth about half done. Those images that have been finished can be seen on the ACEO Art page of my web site.

But this image and three others (that may or may not make it) are floundering.

I began this project back in January using a direct method of color application because my goal was to finish them quickly. Since that cearly hasn't worked out, I decided to experiment and try an underpainting with Light Umber for this one. There was a little bit of blue already on parts of the bridle and blinker trim, but it was very light.

This is the reference photo I am working from. It is one of countless photographs taken during visits to Mt. Pleasant Meadows, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

Here is the first step in the painting process.

This image reflects about two hours worth of work. To begin the underpainting, I established the major shadows and 'washed' light umber over most of the mid-tones. Once that was done, I began gradually working up a more complete range of values. You can see the difference between the eye (which is more complete) and the muzzle, which is less complete.

By the way, for those who are not familiar with ACEOs, they are art trading cards and are 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 (wallet sized). This series is being done on white Rising Stonehenge 250 gsm paper. The paper is almost card stock in weight and is wonderful to work on for something this size.

The reason some of ACEOs in this series may not make it is that there are some serious fingernail impressions in one or two of them. Yikes! On something this small, filling in impressed lines is doubly tough, though it is not impossible!

April 1, 2006

Here is the next stage and probably two or three more hours of work.

I am continuing to work up the value range with Light Umber. The areas that show the most work are the dark darks: inside the nostril, around the eye, the shadows on the blinker cup, inside the ear and along the front of the neck.

I also went through the image with my 'stylus' and impressed more lines into the mane, impressed a little bit of stitching on the rein and impressed a small buckle on the headstall just above the bit. I also impressed a highlight on the bit.

It is very pleasing to see the speed with which progress is being made on this painting with this technique.

Part of the purpose for this work is to teach myself to be more patient with the underpainting and to make sure the underpainting is absolutely as complete as possible before I continue with the color phase. One of the reasons I love to paint is the color, so although working in halftones is very helpful in working up the details, I tend to get impatient to move on to color work and start it too soon.

So I am forcing myself to continue working with just Light Umber just to teach myself some patience in this area and to make sure the underpainting is complete! Certainly, more easily said than done!!

April 2, 2006

This update shows the painting at the end of the weekend. On Saturday, I thought the underpainting was as finished as possible, but worked on it again Sunday and this is the result. The improvement in value range is marked. I believe the underpainting is complete.

I finished the background as well to help emphasize the horse itself, which is the subject of the painting. Each of the ACEOs in this series features a blue background, but this one is more finished than any of those finished so far.

Last night, I layered Light Cerulean Blue throughout the background. Today, I burnished with Cloud Blue, then burnished patches with Sky Blue Light. The end result is a very smooth, tonal background sporting slightly varying shades of blue. I am considering it finished.

April 3, 2006

I worked pretty much throughout the horse and, in some areas, it's difficult to tell the change. The colors I used (to the best of my memory!) are:

Blue parts of bridle and blinker hood: True Blue as the base, Peacock Blue for the shadows, then burnished Light Cerulean Blue and Sky Blue Light.

Gums and tongue: Light peach, Cream, Henna, Burnt Ochre. I didn't do much burnishing here, but layered Cream over the lighter areas and used a little bit heavier pressure to finish it up than what I started with.

Horse's Coat Color: Bruynzeel Fullcolor Sanguine, Prismacolor Burnt Ochre and a touch of Dark Brown, but only in the shadows.

Muzzle: Indigo Blue, Black and a light warm gray.

Eye: Indigo Blue, Black, Burnt Ochre, True Blue and Sky Blue Light.

When I finished for the evening, I realized that if I wanted to, I could call this piece finished. I want to darken the horse more, though, so it is more nearly at the same level of color saturation as the rest of the image.

April 4, 2006

Progress continues with another evening's work. My efforts are now focused entirely on the horse. I want to deepen and saturate the color, but I have decided that I want my horse to be a brighter chestnut than the horse in the reference, hence the difference in the color.

I used Orange, Terra Cotta and Tuscan Red to darken the coat and work some of the highlights. My shadows need to be a little darker, I think (time for another grayscale scan!), so I'll be working on those tonight.

Having said that, however, I can say that this image is very close to completion. It has gotten to the stage at which I work on it for 30 to 40 minutes each evening, then let it sit until the next day, when I can look at it with a fresh eye.

April 25, 2006
This tiny portrait is now complete and may be viewed on my website on the ACEO Art page or it's own page.

Art Trading Cards ... An Update

2006-03-23T12:42:00.000-05:00

Last week, I announced the addition of art trading cards to the selection of original artwork available on my web site.

Today, I would like to announce the expansion of that department of my web site into quick drawings and sketches.

The art trading cards featured here are quick sketches, quick drawings and studies. Most of them are in colored pencil and show a single, closely focused subject captured in only one or two colored pencils.

Some of them are highly detailed; others are more abstract. Some of them are stand alone while others are studies for larger paintings or drawing.

Every one is a one-of-a-kind original.

Art Trading Cards!

2006-03-14T15:10:00.000-05:00

I am very pleased to announce that Art Trading Cards (ACEOs) are now available for viewing and purchase through my website.

I first discovered these wonderful little art forms last fall while researching miniature art for a new exhibit at the Carriage Factory Gallery, where I am the director. The idea of miniature artwork meshed perfectly with my restricted studio time, the need to have an artwork I could complete in a relatively short amount of time, travel and colored pencils. I had also been trying to create non-portrait artwork for myself for some time and was very excited by this possibility.

ACEOs were a specialized form of the specialized world of miniature artwork. I began doing ACEOs around Labor Day and discovered that they were fun to do and sold very well on eBay. I made and sold over two dozen of them in the months leading up to Christmas.

But they have not had a presence on my website ... until now.

Yesterday, I officially launched a new web section devoted to ACEO Art. You will find equine themed art trading cards done as sketches and drawings, some as unique, almost abstract crops and, of course, those that are my more traditional portrait type images. Most of the ACEOs are colored pencil works and feature horses in some form or another, but you will also find oil paintings and landscapes.

New images will be added as they are completed.

A Personal Note ... Life is Good!

2006-03-07T22:41:00.000-05:00

I have been walking to work at the Carriage Factory Gallery for most of the winter because we are down to one functioning car and do not have the funds to repair or replace the decrepit car.

But that's okay. The winter has been exceedingly mild and other than about a week of bitter cold in February, the walks have been either tolerable or enjoyable. Mostly enjoyable.

On some days, I have even walked back home instead of waiting for Neal to pick me up.

Today, the walk was sheer delight and long before I walked the six blocks to the gallery, I was filled with joy at being alive.

After a dry winter, we finally had precipitation rain Saturday and Sunday mornings. And not just rain...thundershowers! I awakened to the sound of thunder Saturday morning and was thrilled (I love thundershowers and thunderstorms and the play of lightning). It rained about an inch Saturday morning and just enough to get the ground wet again on Sunday, but all the growing things outside have responded vigorously.

Today, the skies were gray again, but the temperatures were very mild. It is over 60 when I walked to work. The wind was out of the south, as is usual for this part of the country, and it was also warm and fragrant. Having it whip around me from behind was quite an experience (I think it's time to start thinking about getting those hair ties out again!).

As if that weren't enough to guarantee a good day, I heard the sound of a train whistle approaching from Wichita as I stepped off the back porch. We live three blocks from the railroad tracks and the Amtrak station and I have to cross the tracks every day. I love trains almost as much as I love horses and have given serious thought to making train art, though nothing more than thinking has come of it so far. So I was delighted at the opportunity to see the train up close and personal, though I really hoped I'd be on the gallery side of the tracks before it arrived.

I was and as I walked across the platform in front of the Newton Depot, the train went rumbling through town. It was another grain train, one of numerous grain trains that have passed through town in the last week or so. Four engines leading a mile or so of grain cars eastbound on the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe line. I'm not sure whether the grain is being moved east or west, but since the grain trains are coming from the south, it seems reasonable to think that grain is being moved from the big elevators in Kansas City to a deep water port in Texas or Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Whatever the case, I felt my heart and spirits lift as I walked the platform with tons of train and cargo passing less than twenty feet to my right. What a thrill!

The God-made power of the wind, the man-made power of the train and the symbols of freedom that both represent left me feeling that life really is good, no matter what our circumstances.

I do not say that lightly. Our circumstances have not been the best in the last three years. For eighteen months, Neal and I were unemployed after he was fired suddenly and without warning at lunchtime on a June Monday. We struggled through those months and faced serious financial hardships and challenges, including the near loss of our home.

But God sustained us and drew us close and in January 2005, I became director at the Carriage Factory Gallery. In February 2005, Neal started work as a technical writer with good pay, benefits and the possiblity of moving into the engineering field.

It has been a year since then and things are improving. We are still not caught up on all those debts and one bad choice or overlooked bill can result in late payments that take a full month to get back into order.

But things are looking up. It's a difficult row to hoe sometimes, but there is improvement. I have only to remind myself to look for it.

And, thanks entirely to the blessings of God, there is also improvement in the business of art. New inquiries, completions of current portraits, new portraits to paint and, since Equifest of Kansas, new projects looming on the horizon....

I give thanks to my Heavenly Father for the joy of today, for the wind at my back, the pleasures that come with every day and, most especially, for His love and care in opening my eyes to see and recognize those pleasures.

My Weekend at Equifest - The Final Day

2006-02-26T22:04:00.000-05:00

Today was almost anti-climactic, it went so swiftly. The show was supposed to last until six, but vendors were breaking down booths at 4 in the main exhibit area, so it didn’t take the horse people long to follow suit. We had everything … horses and all … packed up and ready to go by 7. Of course, there were more horses to load, but they all loaded well. There was a lot less stable decoration and ‘props’ this time and that’s where we saved time.

The most notable thing today involved the two mustangs being presented by the Kansas Correctional Institute in Hutchinson. The KCI folks and their horses shared the aisle with us, so we had all weekend to visit with them and to admire horses. I even managed to get a couple of partial sketches of one of the horses.

The horses were going to be auctioned at 2 p.m. so people had been stopping by all weekend to see them and ask about other horses. All of the horses that go through the program at KCI in Hutchinson are Bureau of Land Management captures. The two horses at Equifest had both been captured in Nevada. I believe they were both about five years old, though I admit I didn't pay a lot of attention to that. They were both very well mannered and quiet, attentive almost every time I passed their stalls and they seemed completely unexciteable.

I did not have the opportunity to see their presentations during the show, but they were both presented under saddle. I did get to observe their handlers working with them and was impressed by all involved. They were not at all what I usually think of when I think of mustangs.

When auction time rolled around, the gray went first. Bidding was slow at first, but he ended up selling for over $3,000! That was a new record price for any sale from KCI and everyone was quite excited. The horse is going to be used for trail rides in the Flint Hills and his new owners already owned a couple of mustangs so it looked like he was going to a good home.

The buckskin sold for over $1,000. I am not sure where he was headed after the show, but both them were taken by their new owners by the end of the day.

I made no sales during the show, but that wasn’t a big surprise. I was not allowed to make sales because we were in the horse barn. I didn’t even talk to anyone who seemed serious about buying portrait work, but there was a lot of interest in the horses and a lot of comments on my painting of AL Firestorm.

And I was finally able to get pictures of the horses outside, in good natural light with strong sunlight as they waited for their Sunday presentation. There are at least two decent portraits among those 50 or 60 shots, so I am very happy. I am especially excited about the possibility of doing a portrait of horse and handler because I got three or four shots of one or two of the colts with their handlers. Some of those photos almost look posed, though they weren't. All of them are good reference for potential paintings.

Neal and I also talked quite a bit to the people from KCI about doing artwork to benefit their cause. I already have ideas for potential projects there.

Oh, and our drawing for the framed artwork also went very well. A total of 70 people entered the drawing and the winner was from Augusta, Kansas.

Congratulations!

I am already looking forward to the next event, which will be a selling event. The Sunflower Arab Show in Wichita, Kansas looks like our next stop and we will be there over Memorial Day Weekend.

My Weekend at Equifest - The Second Day

2006-02-25T21:59:00.000-05:00

It's amazing the difference a good night's sleep can make!

Yesterday was almost a nightmare because of lack of planning and preparation, but it worked out all right.

Today went much more smoothly. No waylaid anything (as far as I could tell) and a much simpler day. I spent all day at the show and Neal was able to spend most of the afternoon and evening, after taking care of some business during the morning hours.

In previous years, Team Firestorm has been on Stallion Row. As a young stallion with no offspring, he was being offered to mare owners and was being presented at liberty. I have seen his owner turn him loose in the paddock at the farm, then play with him and their rapport has been delightful.

Their at liberty performances, set to music, were even more delightful and were among the highlights of each show.

This year, however, Team Firestorm was across the aisle in the breed area. Along with AL Firestorm, there were five of his six first year foals, including Blazing Hot Start, who was born during Equifest of Kansas 2005.

The presentation was also different. Rather than an at liberty routine featuring only AL Firestorm, all six horses were presented. AL Firestorm was presented under saddle performing some very basic manuvers such as circles, lead changes and stops while being introduced.

Then each of the foals was presented, along with information about their parentage and what the owners were hoping to accomplish by breeding their mares to Firestorm. Because the mares included a Quarter Horse, a Morgan, a Saddlebred and part Arab as well as a purebred Arab, the purpose for each foal was different. Those purposes were explained fully and in a manner that showed how crossing with AL Firestorm improved on all of the mares. Although it wasn't as exciting or breathtaking as an at liberty routine, it was a great presentation.

And it was amazing to me to see that even with such a diverse group of mares, each and every foal was stamped with the likeness of AL Firestorm. Especially around their heads and ears. They all had The Look, as well as the attitude and personality.

It was a great presentation. My only regret was that I still didn't get the opportunity to get photographs of any of them, try as I might. In fact, in spite of going to today's show armed with pencil and paper and ready to draw from life, I didn't even have the opportunity for much of that! When the horses were awake and interested, we were busy with visitors or getting ready for the show.

When I had time to sketch, they were all eating or sleeping or had their rears turned toward the stall door!

Oh well! Better luck tomorrow!

My Weekend at Equifest - The First Day

2006-02-24T23:50:00.000-05:00

I always enjoy doing horse shows, especially when I can hang out around the horses!

Equifest of Kansas is the first such show each year, coming the last weekend in February. Today was the first day.

And it was one of the strangest first days of a show I have ever experienced.

It started out with difficulties getting my giveaway reproduction. At every show last year, we gave away a reproduction of "Running Free". It's the only way to get one!

I send the digital images to a company in Wichita, they do the printing, then we mat and frame the artwork.

Last Tuesday, I sent the digital file and Neal was going to pick it up yesterday after dropping me off at the show. Well, it was over two hours before he got back and when he did, no reproduction. The printer hadn't received the file. After much running around and attempting to solve things the easy way, we ended up going back home so I could resend the image, then all the way back down to Wichita to pick it up, then returning to the show. It all worked out great, though. The image looks great. The company was wonderful about getting things straightened out (they did the work at no charge), and the framed reproduction is now in place and has several people already entered into the drawing.

I took two pieces to work on today, but ended up doing nothing with either one. In fact, the ACEO sheet I took did not even make an appearance and the Black Clydesdale was shown only as a sample. We were so busy with errands, then with horses that the only artwork I got done was a little bit of sketching (Friesians, Icelandics and a huge, 19-year-old Appy that is an absolute dear!).

Ann Loder has AL Firestorm at the show, as usual, but she also has five of his first year foals, including the first one, which was born during last year's Equifest. Having five babies to work with requires a lot more hands, especially leading up to the breed presentation.

It was fun carrying water, dishing out hay, helping with the presentation and generally being back up. I didn't mind not being able to get much artwork done.

Although I admit to having gotten some great ideas and inspiration just from looking at those six gorgeous Arabs!

Equifest of Kansas

2006-02-14T15:29:00.000-05:00

For the third straight year, I will be beginning the horse show season at Equifest of Kansas. Equifest will be held at the Kansas Coliseum the final weekend in February. Doors open Friday, February 24, with the show running until Sunday, February 26.

Again this year, Neal and I will be accompanying Elizabeth Ann Loder and Steve and Charlotte White of White Training Stables. However, instead of being in the Stallion Row with AL Firestorm, we will all be in the Breed Demonstration area. Ann has some great ideas for her exhibit, so I hope you will stop by and check us out.

I will also be giving away a framed and signed reproduction of my signature portrait of AL Firestorm. This 8x10 reproduction is a very limited edition and is offered only at special events and through drawings such as these. To be eligible, you must stop by the booth and complete a registration form, but there is no charge to enter and you do not need to be present to win. The winner will be drawn after the close of the show Sunday evening.

Hours for Equifest of Kansas are Friday, February 24 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, February 25 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, February 26 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

An Old New Project…

2006-01-26T13:52:00.000-05:00

…Or maybe a new old project. It’s difficult to tell.

In 2003, my husband, Neal, and I paid a visit to Express Clydesdales in Yukon, Oklahoma. Express Clydesdales specializes in black Clydesdales, many of which they purchase for rehabilitation after bad experiences.

Hitches have made appearances all over the United States and have been featured in the Rose Parade.

The horses are wonderful. Big, personable, people friendly.

The personnel at Express were also very warm and welcoming and, during each of our trips to the farm, have been very helpful in allowing me to take photographs for future artwork.

The horse in this photo is Joker, who was born in England and had been imported as a yearling. He was three-years-old when this photograph was taken.

This particular image was taken during a turnout period for Joker. He trotted around his paddock for twenty minutes or more, providing all sorts of great shots and good angles. But the entire time, his eye was on his handler and when she gave the signal, this huge horse trotted to her and dropped his head into the halter. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.

Shortly after getting the photographs back from the developer (yes, I do still do things the ol’ fashioned way!), I chose this one for a painting. It was going to be a colored pencil piece and was going to be the first full body image of a draft horse I had done in some time.

I worked on it regularly until the underpainting was nearly complete then grew dissatisfied with it. The angle wasn’t right. The head was too big. The shadows were too dark and vague. The reasons were endless and the painting languished while I worked on paid portraits.

That was in 2004. 2004 ended and 2005 began. 2005 ended and 2006 began and I barely looked at this painting, let alone worked on it.

And, were it not for my husband, it would still be gathering dust.

But Neal loves the big horses and really likes this painting, no matter what I say. He even took it to hang in his office a couple of weeks ago, so I have agreed to finish it.

I don’t have any images of the early stages of the process for this one. However, in the interest of providing motivation for myself, I have decided to not only scan the steps, but to post the work in progress on my web site.

So here is what the painting looks like right now. This represents the finished underpainting plus about 2 hours of work. The two hours involved darkening some of the shadows on the horse and filling out the sky.

For further updates on the progress of this colored pencil painting, visit the Black Clydesdale work-in-progress page on my website.

Portrait References & Artificial Light

2006-01-25T15:51:00.000-05:00

In the past, I have shied away from using photo references taken in artificial lighting. Whether it's overhead lighting in an arena, lighting at a race track or flash equipment on a camera, artificial light distorts color quality and color temperature. There are no exceptions.

But a growing number of my portrait customers are wanting their horses painted in competition. I am seeing more show ring images, night racing shots and similar images. Some of the basic photographic rules apply to this type of photography, but there are also some special factors to keep in mind.

Composition of the photograph is not as important as the content of the photograph. Backgrounds can be changed or moved around in most cases, but I will need to see the horse in a position that is pleasing to you and that you want to see in an enlarged and enhanced form as a painting.

No matter where or when the photograph was taken, make sure there is enough visible detail to translate into a believable portrait. This is no different for artificial lighting than natural lighting.

Some of the important additional factors you will need to consider are:

Contrast between the horse and the background. A dark horse against a dark background is difficult even in the best lighting. Picking out the details in a photograph of a dark horse at night with artificial light are impossible. In many cases, the only way to handle a situation like that is to avoid any detail at all in the dark areas and rely on the highlights to identify the horse.

Also in the contrast category is the range of values in low-light conditions. The better the light, the wider the range of light and shadow. That range, known as a value scale, is what gives the horse shape, form and dimension. In order for a horse, or any object, to appear three dimensional, it needs a sufficient range of values.

In low-light situations, the value range is greatly reduced and tends toward the dominant color. For example, dark horses in low-light look all dark, with very few highlights. Light colored horses in low-light look all light, with very few dark darks or highlights.

Action. Even the best film cannot completely stop action under artificial lighting. I am thinking particularly of racing scenes and night-time competitions, but this also applies in arenas that might not be especially well lighted. Sharp focus cannot be achieved from an image that shows blurred legs or a bobbing head.

Image quality. It is not uncommon for night or low-light images to be grainy when enlarged or lightened. A consequence will be loss of detail and the loss can be substantial.

Color. Your horse does not look the same in natural light and artificial light. Colors are muted or washed out. Dark bays look black. Chestnuts look brown. Whites take on the dominant color in which they were photographed. It is next to impossible to paint your horse as you would see him in the pasture using a photograph taken at a night-time event or in low-light conditions because of the difference in color.

Does that mean portraits cannot be painted from night-time or low-light references?

Not at all.

What it does mean is that if the primary references are low-light, the finished portrait will also be low-light. Low-light paintings can be full of mood and atmosphere, but they can also be full of vague detail and not much excitement.

If your ideal portrait is full of light and color, your references will need to also be full of light and color.

If you envision that painting as your horse crosses the wire in a night race, then those types of reference materials are what you need to provide.

More information on photography for horse portraits is available on my web site. "Photos For Horse Art" includes information on taking your own reference photographs, as well as the photographic services I provide and the benefits of each.

Additional information on portrait work in general and on the different types of portraits is also available on my web site.

Four New Works in Progress

2006-01-16T16:36:00.000-05:00

For several years, I have shared with portrait customers the process by which paintings are created. Regular email updates are the best way I know to ensure a wonderful portrait. It gives horse owners the opportunity to not only see how I develop and create paintings, but gives them the opportunity to participate.

Now visitors to my website may see the same process unfold before their very eyes.

Two paintings of horses and two new landscapes are being featured on my web site.

The first portrait, Dudley Time #1 is an actual portrait that was ordered as a Christmas gift this past year and which his owner and family has given me permission to post. Dudley Time #1 is a 5 x 7 oil painting on stretched canvas.

The second portrait is also a portrait of Dudley, but Dudley Time #2 is a portrait I am doing for myself. The reasons are many, but basically are these: Dudley Time is a gorgeous horse and a delight to paint; and I wanted and needed a sample of a miniature portrait. Dudley Time #2 is a 4 x 6 oil painting on canvas panel.

Next is a landscape painting of my favorite part of Kansas (so far), the Flint Hills Region. Flint Hills in Oil #1 is a painting from memory and imagination and is an experiment for me, since it will be the first time I have painted a landscape using the underpainting and glazing technique that works so well with horses. It is also unusual in that it is a miniature landscape and that it measures only 2 inches tall by 7 inches wide.

The final painting is also a landscape and also features a scene from the Flint Hills, this time a known location along Camp Creek. I am also experimenting with the underpainting and glazing technique with this painting, but am also working from photographs as well as my memory. Camp Creek in Oil #1 is also a miniature landscape and that it measures only 2 inches tall by 7 inches wide.

Brush Strokes - December 29, 2005

2005-12-29T13:07:00.000-05:00

This morning, I had the great pleasure to talk art and success in art with a visitor to the gallery where I am the director. He works at a local car dealership, but makes furniture out of hedgewood and does stained glass work in his spare time. The stained glass work is something he has been doing for many years and he has many satisfied customers locally and regionally.

The hedgewood furniture is a more recent discipline, but again, he has many happy customers locally and throughout the state.

He is not looking to make a fortune from his work, though he did say he hopes to one day have his craft pay for themselves and a little extra. He's promoting his works of furniture art and has been for a long time. He does shows around Kansas and sells locally. He makes furniture and stained glass items for family and friends. If he misses a show, people ask why he wasn't there and tell him they missed seeing his new work.

It was an interesting conversation, one of those that make you think about your own goals and expectations without forcing you to do so.

Our discussion, brief as it was, made me think again about what I expect from my artistic talents.

When I was in high school, I always thought I would end up being famous and wealthy because of my art. People would flock to buy my horse paintings. I would travel the world to gather references and meet equine champions in all fields of endeavor.

So far, that has not happened. I am not going to rule it out because you just never know where the road may lead, but in the years since high school (and they have been many!), I have realized that money isn't the only measure of success. Especially for the portrait work. Here are just two examples that have redefined, at least in part, success for me.

The colored pencil portrait that currently appears on my home page, "Minna", is a horse I never had the opportunity to meet. I arrived in Kansas April 14, 2002. Minna suffered a fatal, freak accident that same year. I met her owners the following February and it wasn't until late 2004 that I found out about Minna. The portrait was a surprise to her owner, a personal thank you from me to him for all their help in getting me grounded with the horse people in my new home. His quiet thank you conveyed more than just thanks.

Another was a three-year-old racing Standardbred named "GI Jill". I met and photographed Jill at the farm where she trained. I also had the opportunity to see her race later that summer. Before the portrait was completed, Jill developed a health condition that required surgery and, although the surgery went well, complications cost her her life. Her trainer's teary-eyed response to seeing the portrait the first time upon delivery was worth more to me than the payment I had received.

There is very little that can compare with the response of a horse owner who has lost their equine companion when they first see the finished portrait. It would take an awful lot of money to replace that gratitude.

Those people who have owned horses and loved horses but have lost their equine companions are one of the reasons I have chosen to share my work. Those people whose horses are still alive and doing well are another reason. Artwork that is not shared and enjoyed by others will never reach its full potential.

Artwork that has such a special meaning to it's recipient is even more special.

Lessons from a Small Portrait

2005-12-21T20:16:00.000-05:00

Artists, like any other professional, can become victim to their own particular habits and mindsets. It's just as easy to fall into a rut for an artist as for an engineer or a salesman or a teacher.

I discovered one of my own ruts quite by accident this past week. The discovery came as the result of a last minute portrait commission that turned into a Christmas portrait commission.

The portrait in question is of a horse named Dudley Time. It was a small one; 4x6 upgraded to 5x7. The order was placed the beginning of December and could have been started immediately but for the fact that I did not have 4x6 canvas in stock. As it turned out, it was very difficult to find that size of canvas locally and I was looking at possibly having to order and waiting a week before I could start painting. I finally decided to offer an upgrade in size rather than wait. That offer was accepted and I purchased the necessary canvas.

On Monday, December 12, I started painting. The subject was very straight forward. A head, neck and shoulder pose of a very fine Quarter Horse halter horse. I wasn't completely confident I could complete it on time, even as small as it was, but I was determined to do my best.

My method of painting is much similar to the method used by Johannes Vermeer in the 1600s. A fairly detailed drawing; a fairly detailed underpainting; layers of transparent glazes and opague passages to complete the painting. Each layer must be completely and thoroughly dry before the next layer can be applied or the painting turns into a muddy mess.

It was that dry time that had me concerned.

Mondays are my day off from the gallery where I am the director, so I did the first layer of color at about noon. An ample supply of thinner and a fast drying color (Raw Umber) meant the second layer could be applied late that afternoon. I was able to apply a third layer in the evening and, in view of the time constraints, I determined to start color the next day.

The rest of the week was officially 'work week' so painting had to wait for the evening. I'm also taking a SEO (Search Engine Optimization) class to update my website, so I had to work that in, as well. As it happened, the class was first, then I painted later in the evening. One glaze of Raw Sienna followed immediately by a wet-into-wet application of Burnt Sienna brushed directly into the freshly applied Raw Sienna. I was somewhat surprised to realize that step had taken an hour or less.

Wednesday night was a bit more of a challenge. In addition to the SEO class, there was choir practice and going over to my Mom in Law's to take care of putting out the trash and other odds and ends. It generally takes until about 10 p.m. to run all those errands and do all those things, so that meant painting was squeezed into that time between getting back home and going to bed. This particular Wednesday, about 40 minutes. I used it to apply more color and to begin adding highlights wherever necessary.

A little more tweaking on Thursday, including painting in a dramatic, white blaze, and the painting looked finished. At least as finished as I could make it. It dried over the weekend and shipped this past Monday.

No, it wasn't as polished as I like to have my portraits. But oddly enough, some of the areas I would have liked to have fussed over a little bit more were some of the favorite parts of the painting for other artists who saw it. The client is very pleased and looking forward to presenting the painting as a gift. All is well.

But I learned something in all of this.

I learned what techniques worked well and fast.

I learned one or two ways to speed up the painting process.

Most of all, I learned that I can do good oil painting work even if I have only 30 or 40 minutes of time.

You see, in the past, I have always believed I needed at least an hour of free time to even think about painting. It took long enough to set up before and clean up afterward that any time less than an hour seemed pointless.

I now see that that is not true. Even on large paintings, 20 or 30 minutes is enough time to make progress. Last night, I proved it to myself by working for 20 minutes on a large portrait that has been the bane of my existance for several months. You would have to look closely to see the progress, but I know what I did. I also know that the driver's face is now started, instead of being blank canvas, mocking and taunting me. Defying me to do anything productive with it.

And if I divide the 20x30 canvas up into 4x6 sections, it makes 25 little paintings, most of which is background. Does that sound intimidating? Yes.

Are those 25 little paintings less intimidating than one big 20x30.

Most definitely!

I'm still not thrilled with the project, but I can now see that it can be tackled more quickly in 20-minute time blocks every day, than in painting one or two hours once or twice a week (some weeks not at all, depending on what's going on in the rest of my life).

And right now, that's a lot of encouragement!

Photographs as Portrait Reference Materials

2005-12-21T16:16:00.000-05:00

When someone considers purchasing a portrait of their horse, one of the first questions they ask is "Can you use my photographs?"

The answer, of course, is, yes, I can.

Over the 20 plus years I've doing paintings of other people's horses, I have used client photographs many more times than I have used my own. Sometimes the photographs are good. Sometimes they are not.

Reference photographs and personal observation are two of the most important tools I use in the creation of horse art. Those two tools are even more important than the type of paint or canvas I use. Any professional grade oil paint or colored pencil will yield good artwork. So will any professional grade canvas, paper or other painting surface.

But if the reference photographs are not good, the portrait will suffer, as well. If I know and am familiar with the subject of the painting, I can fill in a lot of details that may be missing from poor photographs. Even if I don't know the subject, I can often fill in some of the generic details from other sources. But the best possible portrait requires the best possible reference material at the beginning.

Whether the photographs are my own, taken by a client or are the work of a professional photographer, the look and feel of the final painting is largely influenced by the number and quality of images from which I have to work. In a day and age when many of my clients are from the other side of the country, a good selection of high-quality images is a must.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of the above-mentioned types of photographs. I will attempt, in this article, to describe each and to share with you why I prefer the types of reference materials I prefer. I will then suggest some ways to help you, as a horse owner, get the best possible photographs for reference material.

Client Photographs

Client photographs are a wonderful thing. At present, more of the portraits I have painted have been created from client photographs than from my own photographs. No one knows any horse like the horse owner or the trainer or caretaker. They have the best opportunity to take the 'behind-the-scenes' photographs of horses at play or relaxation. They know the horse's personality and are usually better able to capture that personality on film or digitally than anyone else.

And they know far better than anyone else when a photograph has captured that special look or attitude and when a photograph shows true color or is distorted.

Whenever client photographs are used, I will also ask for some words about the horse. I will ask the client to tell me something about their horse. What is it like? Is it friendly and fun loving? Aloof? A companion? A champion? Somewhere in between. This information will supplement the photographs and will be incorporated into the portrait.

Professional Photographs

Professional Photographs present both the best resource images and the greatest disadvantages from an artistic point of view. The work of a true professional is always crisp, clearly focused and well composed. The photographs have accurate color and sharp detail.

However, quite often they also have been taken with the use of fill flash, a method that uses flash equipment to lighten deep shadows. While fill flash can illuminate the details in a shadowy area of the horse, they also tend to flatten and wash out the mid-tones and highlights elsewhere on the horse.

Another common problem with using the work of professional photographers is that the light source can be vague. This is less of a problem if the photographs are taken outside, but even then, the use of fill flash or accessory lighting can disguise the primary light source.

Quite often, professional photographs were taken indoors or at night, under artificial lighting. Good portraits are possible from such images, but they will not show the horse in it's true coloring or to best advantage.

The most important factor to remember in using the work of professional photographers, however, is in the need to get their permission to use their work. This is not an option for me. I expect others to respect my intellectual rights to the work I create, so I am obligated to respect the intellectural rights of others.

For the most part, the photographers I have dealt with have been very cooperative. Some have required the payment of a one-time usage fee, usually $50 to $100. Most have also requested to be acknowledged as the photographer whose work was used for reference (see my portraits of "Max's Blue Diamond" and "Classical Son" for examples). I offer to let all of them see the final result of our combined efforts once the painting has been completed.

Before beginning any portrait work that is to be based on the work of a professional photographer, I must have a written release from each photographer involved. I will not negotiate on this matter.

Artist Photographs

Whenever possible, I much prefer to work from photographs I have taken of the subject. The reason for this is very simple ... I not only get a lot of pictures, but I get the chance to see the horse in person, to see how it moves, what type of personality it has. Even seeing where and how it lives or what it does for a living (racing, working horse, show horse), contributes to the final portrait.

I take 35mm photographs while my husband backs me up with video. We spend at least an hour observing the horse, gathering information and, sometimes, doing sketches. I always use at least one roll of film, quite often two or more and the photographs include not only the horse, but the horse's surroundings and detail shots of markings, coat patterns and, if necessary, tack.

One of the most notable aspects of my work is that it seems to 'live and breathe' to those who have purchased it. This is especially true for portrait work and I have had clients tell me with tears in their eyes how much like their horse the portrait is. This was especially impressed upon me once by a horseman whose horse had gone on to greener pastures since the portrait's completion.

I will be honest with you. I do not know how this happens, but I do know it does happen with regular frequency. Meeting and observing the horse allows it to happen more so than even the best photographs and written descriptions of the horse's attitude and character.

This opportunity is as valuable to the portrait creation process than the photographs themselves. It is the real benefit to having me take photographs for your portrait project.

Photo Tips for Horse Owners

Here are a few tips on taking photographs of your horse. Whether or not you are considering having a portrait painted, following these tips will allow you to take better, more imaginative and creative photographs of your horse.

TIP #1 - Carry Your Camera Whenever Possible
You never know when your horse will present you with those once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities, funny shots, tranquil shots or just those memories that you will always cherish.

TIP #2 - Use Low Speed Film
Unless shooting in extremely low light conditions, use low speed films (if you are using traditional photography, which I still do). My favorite speed is 100 ISO. 100 ISO captures good light and detail in most situations. Enlargements made from 100 speed film are crisper, clearer and better quality than the enlargements made from higher speed films.

Even for action shots such as horse racing, I generally use 200 speed film. For artsy affects, higher speeds are good. For portrait work, the lower speeds are better.

TIP #3 - Take Lots of Pictures
Even if you know that you want a head study portrait that shows your horse facing to the right, don't rule anything out automatically. Take all kinds of images. You can focus your attention on shots of your horse's head, neck and shoulders facing to the right, but also take some from the other side. Try some full body shots. You never know when an image might catch your eye afterward. You also never know when your photographs might have the eyes closed or an ear turned backwards or something of that nature.

TIP #4 - Don't Get Too Close
Do not take close up shots from very close to your horse. This will result in a distorted image. We all have pictures of our pets (maybe even of ourselves) with huge heads and faces on little bitty bodies. Photos like this are next to impossible to create a good likeness from. Some of the distortion can be corrected, but if I have never seen your horse, I will not know how much correction is necessary.

It is better to stand at a distance and use your zoom lens for those close up photos.

TIP #5 - Use the Best Light Possible
Good, direct sunlight is best. Unless you are looking for a painting with the atmosphere and mood of dawn or dusk, try the hours of 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 6 p.m. (during the summer). The noon hours are okay, but not preferred because of the sunlight is at its most harsh around the noon hour and can photographs taken at that time of day can result in unflattering shadows.

TIP #6 - Don't Be Afraid to Bribe!
Unless you want a casual portrait, be prepared to bribe, cajole or otherwise entice your horse to give you a good, alert expression during picture taking. A handful of grass offered by an assistant, a handful of oats in the bottom of a bucket or anything that grabs and holds the horse's attention are good props. I have used them all and more! I remember one very calm Quarter Horse that paid no attention to me or her owner the entire time we were taking pictures. I learned from a photographer friend of mine who had later been hired for professional portraits that someone had to 'moo like a cow' before she showed any degree of alertness. And then it was only for a short time!

TIP #7 - Don't Throw Anything Away
Don't automatically disregard those good pasture shots or those shots that have untidy backgrounds. Remember that you are taking photographs for a portrait and that the background will not matter. It can easily be changed or eliminated altogether.

And even if you are having a portrait of your horse's head, neck and shoulders, take some body shots, too. You just never know when that shot of your horse standing quietly in the paddock or pasture might have the best head and neck position of all your photographs.

Tip #8 - Be Creative
Don't be afraid to try unusual angles, lighting, settings or anything else that appeals to you. Especially if you know you want a portrait but aren't quite sure of what kind of portrait you want.

Why Do I Paint Horses?

2005-11-26T16:49:00.000-05:00

The easy answer is that there is nothing else that equals the grace and beauty of a horse. There is a quote running around somewhere that says, "Ask me about poetry in motion and I will show you a horse." That pretty much sums it up for me. When God made the horse, He did something very special.

And when God made me, He put inside both a fascination with watching horses and with attempting to capture on canvas and paper what I see in life. A never-ending challenge, to be sure.

But sometimes, when I've been asked why I am so fascinated with horses, I sit back and try to look at things logically. What is a horse, after all, but an assembly of bone, muscle, sinew, and all the rest. Life and breath. The same ingredients go into all other living fauna. Why don't big cats fascinate me the same way? Or cows?

And when I consider things like that, I cannot give an easy answer about why I am so fascinated with horses or why they are so appealing, I paint them over and over.

But when I see horses running free across an open pasture, something stirs down inside that can't be explained. It doesn't need to be.

And when I see horses competing against each other on the track, that same intangible emotion is there. That 'thing' that makes my throat tighten up and tears come to my eyes.

And I think, "I've got to try to capture that look and that spirit" and it's off to the studio. No explanation needed. No explanation wanted.

And so I've gotten to the point at which I simply say, "I paint horses because it is one of God's purposes for me."

And that is all the answer I need.

Thank you for visiting this online journal of mine and for taking the time to listen. If you also choose to follow along on some of the ramblings that will follow, thank you in advance. It is my hope that you, too, will find some inspiration, some purpose, in the journey.