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!

Happy Birthday, Babies...

While the rest of the world was saying 'Happy New Year' at midnight last night, I was out at the barn wishing all my crazy TBs a Happy Birthday. It's hard to believe the babies are officially yearlings now. Gracie celebrated in style with a show of her athleticism, and if I can borrow some Ben Folds lyrics again, "Who's got the looks, who's got the brains, who's got everything?"...that's our girl Gracie! As she was the one with the moves out there today, I'm letting her have the spotlight.


I'm getting even closer on the WIP I've been posting here of late - close enough that after last night's work I decided I needed to put it away for a day or so to gain some fresh perspective. Sometimes after working closely on a painting, we artists convince ourselves it is a disaster, and stepping back for a bit lets us see maybe it's not as bad as we'd feared. I'm hoping that's what happens with this painting!

Tonight I worked on my other potential Art Show at the Dog Show entry. I remember the same thing happened last year. I struggled with the first painting, but the second came easily and ended up being the stronger of the two pieces. I'm liking this one a lot better. There are good reasons for that, not the least of which this one is just more 'me.' I'm not going to share this one yet, so you'll just have to wait! In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the Gracie Show!