Background Noise

I joked on Facebook last week that I'd received some good news, but I wasn't going to share it yet. I had enough on the go, what with my Thirty Horses, Thirty Days and the income tax deadline. Now that the dust has settled from that, I'm preparing to ship three paintings south for the New Jersey Equine Artists' Association's Art of the Horse exhibit which opens on May 20th, 2010, with the opening reception Sunday, May 23. Getting one painting juried into an exhibit is an honour...three, well, that's just got me stunned – in a good way, of course. You'll recognize the three pieces - above is "Promises, Promises," then "Pause," then "Outside Chance." All are oil paintings.


The NJEAA runs this show every two years. I first took part in 2008, and was able to attend the opening when I made the trek to New Jersey to visit a friend. It was a lovely show and my little painting "Man on a Mission" even received an honourable mention. I wish I could manage the trip again, but my one and only in foal mare is due May 21, so I don't think I'll be going anywhere!


As a surprising bonus, the NJEAA asked permission to use "Promises, Promises" on the website announcement for the show (scroll down to see it), as well as on the show invites. You can guess what my answer was! Sometimes as artists we can go a long time without much news, and start to feel a little left behind, so it's nice to get a spring pick-me-up like this. The show is held in the Johnson Gallery of the Sommerset Art Association in Bedminister, New Jersey; if you're in the neighbourhood, be sure to take a peek! It will run until June 19, 2010.

Day 19: The View From Here

So today's painting is another one that had me laughing much of the time I was working on it. I was looking through a friend's photos on Flickr the other day and came across this one. I'd obviously seen it before, as I'd commented on it! I emailed her and asked if I could paint it. She kindly said yes (though there was some bribery involved) so here's the result! This is Bear, a big, good-looking Thoroughbred gelding who was a decent event horse in his day. I met him when I visited my friend in New Jersey last September, and he is a very handsome boy!

This is 5 x 7 oil on masonite. I did deviate from the limited palette to get the greens, using some Terra Verte straight out of the tube as my starting point, and there's some Naples Yellow in this too, in addition to the usual colours.

Part of why I was laughing as I painted this was that it could very well be my own Monster, with that silly expression. Have I painted a Monster painting yet this month? I don't think I have. Well, I'd better do something about that! Almost two-thirds of the way through!

Tomorrow it's time for another guest blogger, so make sure you check in! Thanks for stopping by.

Me and a Box of Kleenex

Last night when I went to bed, I fully expected to wake up this morning feeling *better*. I thought the cold was on its way out. Apparently not - I felt worse. I coped by having ice cream for breakfast - seriously, if someone is going to buy candy cane ice cream and put it in the downstairs freezer (which is right outside my studio) it's fair game! Stalls got done a bit late, but they did get done. We had a mini-snowstorm mid-afternoon but it quickly passed over leaving little behind in the way of accumulation.

As a result of a stuffed head and bursts of sneezing, I wasn't quite at my best at the easel! Of course for some reason I decided to do something fairly complex, which is probably a good indication I'm not thinking all that clearly. This is, more or less, my New Jersey friend's equivalent of my own Miss Monster - the homebred daughter of her "foundation" mare and, and now, the daughter's first foal. Let's not let Monster see this, because then I would have to explain to her that I'm *not* letting her have a baby!

This is 7 x 5 oil on Raymar again, limited palette. I guess I will find out if Sher is watching or not! I'd like to take a vote, please - since I technically did *two* horses today, does that mean I get tomorrow off? :-D Pleaaaasssse? Or does it not count because it's only half as good?

Anyway...see you tomorrow, one way or another!

There And Back Again

Home again, after an enjoyable trip to New Jersey. My friend and I talked about how most people think of New Jersey as what they see off the Turnpike – industry, basically – but Sheri lives in South Jersey, closer to Atlantic City, in the Pine Barrens. I understand completely why she loves it there. It’s beautiful and peaceful and exactly opposite to what everyone thinks of New Jersey.


When I arrived Friday, Sheri told me Big Brown was running at Monmouth on Saturday…did I want to go? I laughed. Do you have to ask? I responded. So Saturday we went to the races! It was a great day – the home-town crowd was friendly and excited to have the Big Horse there again. BB didn’t disappoint, though both Sheri and I agreed that BB should probably stand for “Big Baby”! It’s too bad this horse won’t run at four, because he still seems so immature. He got the job done, regardless.


Sunday was the opening of the NJEAA Fall Showcase. It was a great collection of artwork, and I was pleasantly surprised to learn “Man on a Mission” was awarded an honourable mention! The EAG was well represented. It’s so nice to see original artwork in person – it always gives me an even greater appreciation for the artists. Nothing compares to it!


Monday it was time to head home, but not before a photo shoot of the Arcadia gang, and lunch at Marcello’s. If you’re ever in Hammonton, New Jersey, it comes highly recommended! Great pizza (we had takeout Friday night and couldn’t help going back, apparently!). After all these years, not much has changed when the two of us get together. Lots of horses, Haagen Dazs and catching up on a few movies! What more could you ask for?

Newsworthy

So I’ve been holding out on the art news...

Back in May, I received a call telling me my artwork had been chosen for the cover of the Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders’ Association’s Fall Classic Breeders' Sale catalogue. The artwork is also featured on the poster advertising the event, and the original painting was on display at the CWHBA booth at the Spruce Meadows Masters! The original will be auctioned as Lot 0 at the sale, to be held October 10&12, 2008. They did a great job putting together the cover design, and I’ll be looking forward to hearing the results of the auction! The painting in question is called “Air” and the reference photo for this work was purchased by Ottawa-area photographer Gleb Esman.


The second bit of news…I had two paintings accepted into the New Jersey Equine Artists’ Association Fall show. You’ll be familiar with both – one is the recently featured “Man on a Misison,” and the other is “Sunkissed.” The opening is this Sunday, September 15, and I’m actually going to be there. My friend Sheri lives in South Jersey, and I’m long overdue a visit, so this seemed a great opportunity. It was a real honour to be accepted into this show, as was the cover for the CWHBA auction.


I've been busy in and out of the studio getting ready for the upcoming FASM Studio Tour, October 4&5, 2008. More new paintings in the works; trips to the framer, trips to the photographer...and so on! Hopefully we'll get past the rain and have a great weekend for the tour.