Taking Chances...or, "Because You Can!"

That's probably something only folks and Ontario will get - it's the tag line for an advertising campaign for the Super 7 Lottery. On the one hand I guess it works to some extent, because that line sticks in my head, well, kind of like this cold right now, but on the other, it hasn't enticed me to start buying Super 7 tickets!

Now to get back to where I was going with that! I had plenty of time to paint tonight, even though I didn't start until after 6pm. After all, it's not even 9pm as I write this. As I worked through drawing this one on the panel however, I was liking the looseness, and started hitting the point quite early where the little voice was saying, "Stop...okay, stop!!" Trust me, when you start hearing voices when you're painting it's best to listen! (And no, I'm *not* taking any medication for this cold!) So this is where I actually stopped, though you may have no idea how hard that was (and perhaps be questioning why??).

Anyway...this is Kimchi, a daughter of Langfuhr, in the paddock before winning the 2006 Labatt Woodbine Oaks (which I still tend to call the Canadian Oaks) . Langfuhr sure stamps his offspring - I'm not sure one would guess this was a filly just by looking at this shot.

The details - 7 x 5 oil on Raymar triple-primed cotton canvas, limited palette. I'm always curious to hear what people think of some of these paintings, so please feel free to comment! Yea or...(forgive me)....neigh? :-D

The Other Half of the Entry

Today I painted Peaker's best friend, Maria. Maria only left a couple of weeks ago to join Miss Peaks at the training centre - I wonder if they were reunited! Maria was purchased as a weanling last December. She was a little backward, but the last few months really started coming together. She's a very pretty thing, and while Peaker gives the impression of being somewhat modest and innocent, Maria is the opposite! She has a dishy, almost Arabian face, and a mischievous eye.

This painting is 8 x 10 oil on panel. I knew my time would be tight with this one, as I had plans to go to the re-opening of the Art Gallery of Ontario this afternoon. I'm content with the sketch-like quality of this one. I've always liked the freshness of oil studies on panel, where one can see the tone of the panel showing through. Once again I was using the limited palette.

I did get some writing done last night, and I need to keep on top of that! Time is ticking!

Remembering that I'm doing these horses by age, and this takes care of the yearlings...that means the weanlings are next! I've really been looking forward to doing them. They have such irresistable little faces! Well...if I can still call them little!