American Academy of Equine Art Invitational at Spindletop - Lexington, KY

How many weeks ago now was it I said I had news? Here I am, finally catching up. It was a nice surprise to learn my painting "Strategizing" was accepted for inclusion in the AAEA's annual invitational art show. I was a bit stunned to be invited to submit for the show, as time and again I have been rejected from their juried exhibitions! I've done enough juried shows to know how it works, and to not take it personally, but I admit it was starting to get to me!

The show this year is to be held at Spindletop Hall in Lexington, Kentucky, running from April 2 (hmmm....guess that was Monday!) until May 26, 2012. The opening reception is Sunday April 15, 2012, from 1-4pm. If you are in the area, be sure to check it out! I only wish I could get away to see it myself, but, well, by the size of our girl Twine, I don't think it would be a good idea, do you? Maybe that will be my next bit of news!


As soon as the show is online, I will post the link, so that if you are not able to view the actual exhibition, you can enjoy it virtually. I know I'm looking forward to seeing it!

And This, My Friends, is What We Call 'The Uglies'

If you listen to artists long enough, you're going to hear that term - "The Uglies." It's a stage most paintings go through - a necessary one, most of the time - and one we would just as soon no one saw. I really hadn't intended on showing the latest progress on this one, but hey, sometimes it's good to see more than just the finished work. If it turns out the way I want, you'll see it again. If not, then just don't ask!


In order to balance that piece of panel above masquerading as a painting, I'll post a couple more recent photos. I'd really like to show the whole series, or put together the gif, of what led to this one of Rupert and Leo. Leo was trying to entice Rupert to play, and Rupert kept raising his head just out of reach. He seemed to be making a point about Leo's size. Forgive me for saying that it seemed to go over Leo's head!

And now, Leo at a more serious moment. He doesn't have too many of those! He's such a handsome boy.

The next few days will be busy with horses leaving - mares going to Kentucky, layups heading back to work. After that, it will be time to dive into painting again. I have a show deadline for the end of the month - one for which I'd like to have some new pieces. Time to get cracking!

Time For Rolex!

When you drop the name 'Rolex' around most horse people, we don't think watches, we think the top three-day event in North America, held in Lexington, Kentucky at the Kentucky Horse Park this time of year. Thing are getting into gear today, with the jog, and competition starts tomorrow with the dressage portion of the event. When I got the reminder this morning that this was Rolex week, I thought I'd try to do a painting with that theme!

I've only been to Rolex once, and that was ten or eleven years ago - I've lost track! I only took around six rolls of film, so I have one or two photos around. Today's painting is from one of those photos. I decided to go with one I took the day before competition, of one of the Canadian participants schooling her horse in dressage. Of course we all love cross-country, which takes place on Saturday, but dressage is to eventing what tracking is to Schutzhund (that's a dog sport, for those who don't know)...if you only come for the thrills, you're not a true fan!

This is just a small painting, 5 x 7 oil on masonite, with the limited palette, and my goal was to keep it loose, allowing little bit of the burnt sienna toned canvas to peek through. For some reason my brain was taxed after yesterday's painting - maybe that was just Cad Red toxicity! - but today's I found much more relaxing. It might have been I didn't have the same expectation - trying to do a horse and rider in small format like this was a challenge for me, and I was reasonably happy with the level of success.

The best part is, it's only 5pm! Time to go out and feed the ponies, and then entertain the possibility of taking it easy tonight...unless of course I decide the to watch the hockey game, where Les Canadiens face elimination! All right, so I can't have everything...

See you tomorrow!

Chestnuts Only, Please!

Last night I finally got around to popping over to a nearby Thoroughbred breeding farm I used to work at to take some photos. This time of year they've started turning out at night, and I just love the light in the early evening. Most of the mares and babies are back from Kentucky now, and sales prep is in full swing, with the first bunch leaving earlier this week for Fasig-Tipton Kentucky.

I took a few hundred photos (what else is new?) so just a small selection here. Honestly, there are more than chestnuts on this farm! Maybe I'm just feeling a little chestnut horse-deprived after taking Jay over to start back training on Wednesday. I still have Gracie and Peaker here, of course, but Jay has enough personality for half a dozen horses, so his absence leaves a big hole! The bunch in the first photo are some of this year's colts. Half of the group came over right away when they saw me, but these four stayed up on the hill grazing until I was about to move on to the next pasture. At that point, in true Thoroughbred fashion, these four came tearing across to see what was going on.


On the way to the fillies' paddock, I took a few pics of the yearling colts. This boy is out of a mare called Heavenly Tears (aka Millie), and Heavenly Tears is a half sister to Monster's dad, Tejabo. So this handsome goof is a relative of my silly mare!


I can't keep up with who's who on the farm anymore - I still know some of the mares, but can't keep up with all the fashionable stallions these foals are by! My retention just isn't that good! I need to take notes!