Today it was Gracie's turn to celebrate a birthday - her second. It's somehow appropriate that Gracie is a Valentine's baby - she's been the farm sweetheart from day one. While she has been getting a little big for her britches in the last little while, I've started breaking her, and that structure has helped bring things back in line, so to speak! She's quite a lovely filly - not that I'm biased or anything!
In honour of Valentine's Day and Gracie's birthday, I began a new painting. I've had this one earmarked since the day I shot the reference last March - how could I not? This is the first day Gracie and Billy were turned out together last year - and their first encounter was priceless. Seconds after this moment, they each ran off in opposite directions! I've already got a title for this one - "Boy Meets Girl." Knowing the rest of the story, it's more than a little funny to me! This one is 8 x 16 oil on Raymar cotton canvas panel.
As I've been on my own so far working with Gracie, I don't have any photos of us, but today after I was finished with her (no day off for the Birthday Girl!) I did a little quick sketch in pen from memory. I may try and turn this into a little painting - we'll see.
Tonight I went and got on Monster, who I've been in the process of rehabbing from a mishap - best I can figure, she slipped on the ice back in December, and threw her ribcage out of whack! I've finally started back riding her this past week, and tonight we had a great ride - so we're making progress! Then I came home to watch Canada's Alexandre Bilodeau win Gold in the men's moguls at the Olympics in Vancouver. A great day, all round!
