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Today was my third day in at Woodbine's Sales Pavilion. I have lots of room in the lobby - and my own TV monitor to watch the races. What more could I ask for? The strange thing is I haven't managed to get out to walk around the barns and see any horses! I started out today, camera in hand....but got waylaid at Fincham's Harness and Bit by Bit Custom. It was still a productive visit - Bit by Bit is able to replace the zipper in my impact vest, and I finally bought a new helmet at Fincham's...a new helmet for which Bit by Bit will be able to make a nice new helmet cover! At least when I do manage to get back riding regularly, my safety apparel will be in impeccable shape.

I started a new painting yesterday at the sale, and got a fair bit accomplished. This is just 8 x 10, oil on Signature's linen panel. I bought two of these panels to try them about about a year ago and this one is just reaffirming my intial reaction - I looooooove them. They're more expensive than Raphael, but with the concerns I had with my most recent Raphael purchase, I think I'm going to make the switch. An added bonus is Signature Canvas is a wonderful company with which to deal.


The painting is of the finish of last year's Queen's Plate - that's Not Bourbon out-bobbing Ginger Brew. I don't have the most recent update on this painting, as I didn't take a photo of today's work, but I'll show how it progressed yesterday.

Now, much to my surprise, I feel compelled to paint, and far be it from me to ignore that compulsion! Off to the easel!

Just In Case!

Well, this is officially a pre-post! I was a little worried when a couple of hours ago, our internet dropped out again. It's back, apparently, but I'm going to start this post though I'm still working on today's painting. So stay tuned! If things fall apart on me again, I've at least checked in. I don't yet know if Friday's fiasco has already eliminated me from NaBloPoMo or not.

I'll be back!

8:26pm So, here I am! Today I painted Ginger Brew, Canadian Oaks winner and likely winner of the Sovereign Award for three-year old filly in Canada this year. This is 6 x 8 oil on Raymar panel, again with the limited palette. I felt like I fiddled with this one forever! I did feel a bit better about working with the Raymar surface than I have in the past. This is their triple-primed cotton canvas.

I have some writing to catch up on, so after I clean my brushes, that will be my next task. The net target is 30,000 by Wednesday night, so I'd better get a move on!

Chestnut Fillies Rule!

Around here, we don't buy into that belief that chestnut mares and fillies are evil. Gracie is quick to point out the likes of Ginger Brew who made Not Bourbon work for his Plate victory this year. I've done the three chestnut boys this week - Jay, Mute, and Medz - so it's time for a girl! Miss Peaks isn't on the farm right now, as she's started her under-saddle racehorse education, but I wasn't about to leave her out of my project - she's much too special! As I'm doing the horses on the farm by age, from oldest to youngest, Peaker was next in line. The reference for this painting was taken shortly before she headed to the training centre. I miss my girl!


I realised this morning that I'd forgotten to tone a panel last night. While I could have done it first thing this morning and given it time to dry, that's what I did yesterday and the tone was lifting off too easily, so I found a piece of masonite that I had prepared with shellac instead of gesso. As you can see from the in-progress shot, this means I'm starting with a ground that is dark. The surface is also very slick, and very non-absorbent. That's why this piece is more blended that some of the ones I've done this week on gessoed panel. The smoothness and the fact that the paint dried more slowly make it very different to work with.

So here we have our Miss Peaks, 10 x 8 oil on shellacked masonite, using the usual limited palette. I also forgot to clean my brushes last night, which is borderline disastrous. There's no better way to shorten the life of your brushes! What am I going to go do now? Tone a couple of panels so I'm covered for the next few days, then clean those brushes! After that, I believe I have a word count to catch up on! See you tomorrow!

Queen's Plate '08

I want to be sure everyone knows that little Billy called it, and Gracie wasn't far off! Not Bourbon held off Ginger Brew to win the 2008 Queen's Plate in an exciting finish. Unfortunately, thanks to what I'll call a two-minute rule, I didn't get very great shots of the race itself. Apparently, for the duration of the Queen's Plate, and the Plate only...and this year's Plate only, for that matter...standing at the base of the stairs to the second floor seating is a fire hazard. I'm not sure why it wasn't for the race before the Plate, or last year's Plate, or the year before. What can I say!


The LongRun fundraiser auctioning off the saddle cloths of the Plate field is happening now on eBay. By pure coincidence I ended up with some pretty cool shots of the horses in the walking ring. Be sure to check out the auction. A couple of the cloths still have no bids, including the winner's! His connections better step up!


Here in the studio, the painting goes on. The purple panel is on its way to Edmonton to rejoin its other mosaic pieces for a grand reunion. Stay posted for information on the unveiling! And keep track of the progress on the Mural Mosaic website!

The Morning Line

Plate morning! There’s always a special feel around the backstretch, whether you’re running in the big race or not. I remember we always made sure the shed was leveled and raked even more carefully than on normal days, and the apron and lawn outside was particularly clean. We even polished the brass on the halters. Being stabled close to the receiving barn, we witnessed the arrival of the horse guards first-hand, something that was sure to set my dear girl Petunia over the edge! Not her favourite morning, that’s for sure.


When I turned the foals out this morning, they spent the first five minutes running and playing. It was probably inspired by the cool, damp air, but I entertained that they just know it’s Plate Day! Gracie is backing Ginger Brew, because, of course, chestnut fillies rule. Billy’s dad Mobil ran second in the Plate, and Gracie pointed out that it was a chestnut that beat him (stablemate Wando, 2003). Billy kind of likes Not Bourbon today, being Ontario-sired and all, but he let on that he’ll be rooting for Uncle Jerry and Deputiformer. Nothing wrong with picking a longshot! Just ask Monster…her dad Tejabo sired a whopper in TJ’s Lucky Moon back in 2002.


Woodbine Entertainment and LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement are having a neat fundraiser after this year’s Plate. The saddle cloths of all the starters will be auctioned on eBay this week to raise money for LongRun. I’ll post a link to the auctions as soon as I have it so you can check it out.


Okay, so I’m hoping I’ve distracted you from asking about the Mike Fox painting. All right, I admit it, it’s not done. So I came up short. It’s getting very close though. At this stage I’m working on a lot of nit-picky stuff, so progress is a lot slower. Won’t be long now! And maybe I’ll start on this year’s winner a little earlier! Hope that grey sky brightens a little by post time!

Oaks Day!

This must be some kind of record for me - today was the first time this year that I got to the races. It was hot and humid today for the Canadian Oaks, with favoured Ginger Brew coming through to win it.


And now, the Queen's Plate is just two weeks away. Before I know it, it'll be time for Saratoga!

The 40D did all the work today, so all I'm going to do is post a few photos. At the top is my artsy shot for the day. Next we have the winning filly at the wire, and below is the first time past the grandstand. I just love the late afternoon light in this one. Guess tomorrow it's time to get back to painting!