You've Come A Long Way, Baby....

They all look so sweet when they're sleeping!  5 x 7 oil on panel, sold.

Maybe it all started the day he was conceived - I took Twine up to be bred to Strut the Stage (standing at Colebrook at the time), baby Gracie at her side.  They didn't heed my warnings that she could be tough, not taking proper precautions, and she double-barreled him in the chest.  Poor Strut! I'm sure that did nothing for his self-esteem!  Anyway...about 338 days later, she had a cute little bay baby boy.  This colt had the slickest coat I've ever seen on a foal - clearly he thought he was landing in Florida, not Southwestern Ontario. He made me drag the vet out to tube him his first meal, because he couldn't figure out how to nurse in an acceptable time frame. And so began our series of adventures, which included a black eye for me.  Well, at least he didn't break my nose, like Hugo!

Lean, mean...well he wasn't mean...and fell a little short of being a racing machine! At Woodbine in 2013.

Close...but not quite (he's the one on the outside).

At the track, Leo started off showing promise...though he turned in to a wildman as a three-year-old.  More exploits were added to his list of accomplishments, like running off with his trainer, who gallops her own (the clockers even got a time on him!  No question he was fast!), escaping from his stall and running off down the shedrow, and antics behind the gate on race day which included dropping his rider and taking off, through the barrier and onto the harness racing track.  His best effort was a second place finish where he just missed winning, but then he hurt himself, and was retired.  And for some crazy reason, I said I'd take him.

That was a year and a half ago.  This is Leo today:



First day jumping from a canter!  Just goes to show you - never say never!

Well You Didn't Forget *Her* Birthday, Did You?

"Fire Filly," 8 x 10 oil on canvas

You're right Leo.  You're right.  Perhaps that has something to do with Gracie's birthday falling on the same day as a holiday a lot of people seem to celebrate, but yes, I don't tend to forget Miss Gracie's birthday.  Gracie's birth was kind of a big deal, because her mom, Twine, had aborted he first foal, so the safe arrival of a particular little chestnut was extra-special.  I guess Gracie was just extra-special from day one!  I finished the above painting yesterday, of the big mare on High Goblin Alert. ;-)

Minutes old.

Tiny filly has grown into tall mare, but lost none of her playful, gregarious personality along the way.  Happy Birthday to my favourite chestnut mare.  :-)

All photos are copyright protected. The foal pictures are copyright 2008 EJKimaging.

A day and a half old.

Birthdays Are Overrated, Right?

"Reciprocal," 8 x 16 oil on panel

Today is Peaker's birthday - Peaker being the first foal that was born on my little farm that wasn't mine (cough*Monster*cough). She was born one very cold February morning, eight years ago, first foal of her mom, Too Clever.  I remember it was cold enough I went and bought a foal blanket for her...and when I put it on her, Clever decided she was an alien, so I had to take it off.  Poor little Peaker!  She grew up tough!  Last I heard Peaker was in Minnesota.  I hope she is doing well, and that she shows up on my radar again.

After remembering Peaker's birthday, it occurred to me that I had completely let Leo's birthday slip by!  Yesterday marked five years since my goofy boy arrived, and he's been causing trouble ever since.  He even broke his halter yesterday.  In hindsight, it was almost as if he was trying to get my attention. Haha! 

Both Peaker and Leo have been models for my paintings.  Above is the most recent one featuring Leo (and his buddy growing up, Spider), an 8 x 16 oil on Raymar panel called "Reciprocal."  Below is on of my favourites of Peaker, galloping through the snow with her friend Maria, both of them yearlings.  This one is 11 x 14 oil on Raphael panel.  Both paintings are still available; if you're interested, let me know!

The next birthday is one I never forget.  Anyone want to hazard a guess whose that might be?  ;-)

"Fresh Snow," 11 x 14 oil on linen

"Devotion," 18 x 36 Oil on Canvas

I could spend the first paragraph listing excuses for not posting more, but I won't bore you with those.  Despite the silence, I have been working away - the horses haven't completely swallowed me up, even though things haven't been completely quiet in that department!

This is the first WIP to pass into the realm of finished, or abandoned, take your pick!  Not signed yet, but I think I'm just about ready to make that particularly difficult move.  This is an 18 x 36 oil on canvas of Viv and Hugo, her first foal (now a yearling).  A couple of in progress pics lets you see some of the steps - above, what I call the "rough tonal" step, then below, the completed underpainting.   Next one in line is getting reasonably close to completion...stay tuned!

Hugo Has a Baby Brother!

 I realise I've been sadly negligent when it comes to blog posts of late.  No point in making excuses, so instead, well....I'll post something!  Nothing like a new foal to get things started.  Yesterday at just after 10am, Vivien had her second foal, a bay colt by Singing Saint.  He's actually a half brother to Hugo, of course.  I've decided his name should be Victor!

I've recently started a painting of Vivien and Hugo from when Hugo was just a couple of days old.  I'm sure Victor will soon be featured in his own paintings!

Okay, So the Holiday *Is* Over....

We made it back from Saratoga, safely and begrudgingly!  In the past few days the rain has been making up for lost time here in Southern Ontario, which has meant no riding for me because my footing turns to mud.  Between the horses, trying to finish and epic novel (reading a few pages before I pass out at the end of the day is usually the only time I get to read anymore) and working away at some paintings, I've managed to keep busy.  The latest piece to be finished is this 16 x 8" oil on Raymar cotton canvas panel.  It's this year's star model, Thoroughbred foal Hugo, and I'm calling it, "I'm Coming!"  or, "I Hear You Calling II."  Do you remember the original "I Hear You Calling?"  :-)

If you're interested in this painting let me know - it's currently available for $650.00 unframed (price will need to be adjusted once it's framed). A better photo is available on request.

"Walk This Way," 8 x 16 oil on canvas

Here's a painting I finished a few weeks ago, and neglected to post.  Hugo was the earliest foal, born at the end of February, and this was one of his attempts to make a friend.  The barn kitty seemed more or less oblivious! 


This painting is 8 x 16 oil on canvas, currently available unframed for $650.00. You can email me if you're interested. 

Lots happening on the sidelines right now - I have a number of WIPs on the go (sometimes you can see progress pics posted on my Facebook page), and a couple of show venues in the works.  I'll keep you posted!

Paint Now, Think Later!

A little bit of information I didn't disclose yesterday - I got a pretty serious club in the face by one of the foals (the oldest) on Saturday, enough to break my nose.  I don't think my nose really hurts as much as a broken nose should, but my head and neck have been aching rather consistently since.  Yes, I went to the hospital and got checked out, so don't be too worried!  What I have been doing is blaming every little brain blip since then on the incident!  Tonight I was hoping it would help me not overthink this little painting, because I was certainly doing that last night with the one of Brigitte.

Other than the sketch (directly on the panel), which came together quite quickly (10-15 mins) I probably completed this 5 x 7 oil on masonite in just under an hour.  I'm pretty pleased, all things considered.  This is Twine's colt, who is the only one who didn't seem to have a name right from the get-go.  I was calling him "Zip" or "Zippy" for a while, because he has some pretty funky cowlicks on his neck that make it look like you could zip him out of his fuzzy little coat.  But yesterday, he came up to me with his lower lip sticking out, one of his little quirks, and I thought maybe he should be Elvis.  What do you think? 

Again, I used a very simple palette for this one.  Burnt umber, Cadmium red light, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre and titanium white.  This is now the second painting I've done of this little guy.  Below is the first one, about 8 x 10 oil on linen, of one of his leaps in the air!

Count on a Chestnut Filly to Shake Things Up

Well, the third and final foal of the season joined us on Monday just before 10pm.  Beaujelais (yes, that's how the owners decided to spell it) had her first baby - a chestnut filly that is sure to give the boys a run for their money.  All three foals are by the same sire, Strut the Stage, who has passed on some nice flashy white this year, not to mention a fair bit of attitude!  This little girl's barn name is Brigitte, and both she and mom are doing well.  Don't I have the best new models this year?

Overdue

I'm not talking about Twine, though by the due date I assign, I guess you could say she is. Due dates for mares aren't set in stone, though Twine does tend to foal fairly close to hers (except for last year!). She us looking as if she'll follow her usual pattern this year, and I am up tonight keeping an eye on her, via camera.

I do have a few paintings I've been meaning to post in their finally-completed form. First is a fairly loose and moderately fast study of the new foal, an 11 x 14 oil on masonite, above. The colt has grown considerably since this, of course, and his personality has grown exponentially!


I've shown this next painting in progress a few times. This is one that I titled before I began - "Guardian Angels." The outriders at Woodbine have to be among the best in North America, so quick to catch a loose or running off horse and I know they are very appreciated for the job they do. This is 6 x 8 oil on Raphael linen panel.

Last I have another quick 5 x 7 study of a racehorse I took a few photos of one morning last summer at Woodbine – oil on linen. All three paintings are available; if you're interested please send me an email!


I've been working on a a few foal sketches, and have another couple of paintings on the go, but work has been rather sporadic with watching Twine and getting mares bred for next year's crop of foals. Things will settle down....sometime in July!

When There's Been No Time to Paint....

....the least I can do is post baby pictures, right? He went out for the first time Tuesday, and Wednesday the weather wasn't very nice so everyone was stuck inside. These pics are from yesterday. He kept his mom busy as he romped around!

A New Face

Vivien provided us with the first foal of the season, delivering a handsome bay colt on Sunday morning. He's her first baby, and she's a great mother so far. He's a sturdy little guy, and looks a lot like his dad, Strut the Stage. I'm hoping this year's foals are free of the drama last year's boys went through!

Maybe there will be a painting of the new kid soon. For now, a few photos!

"Hush" 14 x 18 oil on linen

I didn't realize it had been quite so long since I'd updated the blog! I think I've finished this painting - don't you love how sure we artists are of ourselves? My working title for this was, "Not Here, Mom!" but I've decided to call it "Hush." This is 14 x 18 oil on linen.

Billy, featured here as a foal, is now three years old and made his first start yesterday. He handled everything very well, and was fifth in his initial effort, earning a cheque in the process. It's a very encouraging start to his career. You can watch the replay, thanks to Woodbine's You Tube site!


I will be taking this and at least two other paintings to be photographed this week. I always do this with paintings that are too large to scan, so I have a high resolution file from which to make prints. Pirak Studios does a great job photographing artwork, and also offers giclée printing services. I'm probably going to have them do a proof of each of the three paintings I'm taking so that I can offer reproductions. Stay tuned for more information!

Keeping On

I figured you all could use a rest from me yesterday, so I posted my current WIP on Facebook instead. ;-) This is what I've been working on, with a bit more progress. You saw it here first a while ago! This is 14 x 18 oil on linen. Not my usual smooth linen, but a heavier weave which I've painted on a couple of times. I like to change things up from time to time!

This is Clever and her 2008 colt, Billy, who is now in training at Woodbine. Billy had a lot of very original facial expressions as a baby, and always seemed to be nattering at his mom. Here I've started to lay some colour in over the underpainting - just midtones and darks, and scrubbing them and blending them in with a dry brush rather than a true glaze, though the effect is the same.

Her current foal is two weeks old today, and looking very handsome!

Billy's Brother

I decided to call this one done tonight - to the point of signing it, even. Not perfect, but a fun little warm-up for what the rest of the month has in store, I hope!

This is 6 x 4 oil on Raymar cotton canvas panel, using my favourite limited palette. Clever's foal this year, with his big star, reminds us all of a chestnut version of her 2008 foal, Billy, so my trainer friend (who has the first three at Woodbine right now) immediately dubbed him "Billy's brother." I'm hoping he ends up being a little easier to deal with than Billy was! And we'll find him a name of his own, too, don't worry!

Two Days In A Row!

Yes that's right...I have managed to paint two days in a row. That shouldn't really be an accomplishment, but after last month, it is! Not long, and not with particular skill, but hey, I'll just take what I can get right now! My day didn't go exactly as planned so it was 9pm before I got to the easel, and did a bit more work on this tiny little painting of Clever's boy.

Leo, the racehorse!

I neglected to mention that Leo is home for a rest right now. He spent some time in at Woodbine when the backstretch opened, and quickly made himself a favourite. I'm happy to see his personality is intact, though certain other parts of him are not! ;-) Yes, he is a gelding now! Hard to believe two years ago he was the new little foal!

Leo, the baby!

And Number Three!

Clever delivered her fourth foal, a chestnut colt by the late Pleasant Tap, last night at 11:30pm. What a considerate group of mares I had this year, all foaling somewhat early in the night. We'll forgive Hummer the rather troubled aftermath of her firstborn, because he's so incredibly cute!

Once again Clever has produced a big, solid baby. She had to work hard to push him out, but seems to be okay. Momma and baby are both resting peacefully, and approaching 4AM now, I think I might try to grab a bit of sleep myself. Kind of nice be done foaling by the 24th of March!

Home Again!

Well yesterday I brought home Hummer and her boy, which was both a relief and a stress! He's looking great and the attendants at OVC assured me he was feeling great and had come out of the surgery well. He sure is a feisty, outgoing boy, which is going to make the post-op care a challenge! He has a fair-sized incision on his belly, and has to be on stall rest for the next month, with hand walking. Have you ever tried to hand walk a foal who is too young to lead? Yes, it's going to be a long month. He had a couple little sessions today, and he was actually really good...as much as he would just like to explode! Hummer followed along devotedly behind, and seemed happy to get some exercise herself. We just stayed in the barn aisle, because it's muddy and horrible outside. Maybe I can bring him in the house and put him on the treadmill!


We're also into breeding season, and the first mare will probably go to be bred this week. That means regular vet visits, so there's lots going on around the farm right now, and for the moment, not a whole lot going on in the studio! I will work it all in - it's just a bit of a challenge right now. Below is a little 5 x 5 oil on Ampersand Artist's panel that I started last week. One of these days I'll get back to it!

A Little Painting Between Foals

The last week has been a long one, and a bit stressful as well. Our little chestnut boy is up at the University of Guelph's OVC Teaching Hospital, and had surgery yesterday to repair a patent urachus. While outwardly he has always been bright and happy, he did have a few issues as I'd mentioned in my last post, and developed this problem Monday morning after being there since Saturday night. I can't help worrying about a baby that age, of course - so many challenges in his short life so far. I'm hoping very soon he'll be home again and bouncing back in full chestnut fashion. Interestingly, all three chestnut foals I've had born here have required special care off the farm. Peaker and Gracie are both big and strong today, so we'd like to see this guy follow suit! And in the absence of our flashy little boy, I give you our little Einstein! He's nearly two weeks old now, and if I ever need to be cheered up, I go visit him!


I finally settled down to some painting this week, after the disrupted schedule of the last couple of weeks. I completed the underpainting of the oil of Billy and Clever last night – it's currently drying so that I can jump into the colour. I have started to put some colour into one I have on the go of "the Widgets" Leo and Spider, but it's set firmly in the uglies right now! And last night, just so I could say I finished *something,* I got back to a little 5 x 7 oil on linen I started a while back of Miss Keller, one of the top turf mares last season. It needs a proper scan, but above is the preliminary photo.


And just for fun...this is what I saw when I came into the studio yesterday afternoon. I've taught Swish to sit on a chair, but this is the first time she's done it of her own accord! Well, maybe I'd better rephrase that - this is the first time I've seen her do it! I was hoping she'd done some work on the painting that was on the easel, but no such luck! Maybe next time?

And Then There Were Two...

Our second foal of the season arrived not long after midnight on Wednesday. This is Hummer's first foal, a flashy little chestnut colt by Mutakddim. If you remember Pip (also known as Mute), he was also a son of Mutakddim. The new boy has had a couple little problems in his first few days, but through it all has been bright and spunky. I'm hoping his troubles are behind him and in a couple of weeks, he'll be out playing with Twine's colt! Now, what do you think, will Clever have a colt or a filly?