A Delivery at Rolex KY

 Last weekend Len and I drove up to Rolex with a specific mission...to deliver this painting of last year's winner of Rolex KY.  Here he is, "Parklane Hawk", with his championship ribbon waving in the KY breeze!  We had an opportunity to meet Carole Gee, the owner of Fernhill Sport Horses of Kilkenny, Ireland as she purchased this piece after seeing it on the Eventing Nation blog the day before Rolex started.  Was I a little star struck getting a chance to meet someone who has contributed so very much to this sport ?..... yes...I was and I'm not ashamed to say it!  What a nice person she is and what an honor it was to meet her.  To name the horses that she has brought up into the sport is a list of champions now competing all over the world.  Her website is http://www.fernhillsporthorses.com/

This portrait will eventually hang in the home of Catherine Witt...yes, another name well know in the upper levels of Eventing as a dedicated owner!  She not only owns "Parklane Hawk" but owns the horse who came in second this year at Rolex, "Seacookie"..both ridden brilliantly by William Fox-Pitt. 

So, this week is  Badminton Horse Trials 2013..... http://eventingnation.com/ can keep you updated on what's going on across the pond!

2013 Belle Meade Plantation Solo Art Exhibition

In less than two weeks I will be at Belle Meade Plantation's Visitor center's art gallery to open my solo exhibition for May 2013. This will be my fourth year showing here and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to show in a place so steeped in the history of both the thoroughbred and sporting art.

The image you see here will be on the invitation postcards sent out in the next week.  It is a portrait of one of the hounds of Chula Homa Hunt in Mississippi.  "Anticipation" is a 9x12 oil and is your sneak peak of one of the paintings that will be hanging at the show.   The show is a mix of subject matter that is all related in the world of equine sporting art and wildlife.

 West End liquors will provide a wine tasting and there will be light hors d'oeuvres.  The opening reception is casual and held at Belle Meade's Visitor center ( 5025 Harding Pike  Nashville, TN 37205)  from 5:30pm to 7:30pm on thursday, May 2nd.  Hope to see you there!

A busy beginning of the year!

Is it March 2nd already ?  Yes,it seems so.  The beginning of this year started with a bucket list trip to Sydney Australia and New Zealand with my hubby.  How many pictures did I take? Well, put it this way, thank goodness for the invention of digital photography.  I'm thinking that it was around
1500 shots.  I came away with lots and lots of wonderful inspiration for future paintings.  We knew that we would love it down under and we were not disappointed.

Here are just a few snapshots that I pulled from the lot....... first is the Sydney Opera House, of course one of the most recognizable buildings in the world.

Onward to Tasmania and the original site of the penal colony at Port Arthur. 

So many beautiful vistas around Dunedin, New Zealand with it's Scottish heritage apparent. This view was leaving Dunedin.

After a visit to Akaroa and Wellington, we made our way to a sheep station at Clifton Bay, New Zealand. 

Enjoyed a great day walking around Mt. Maunganui in New Zealand.... some people we met there said it reminded them alot of the Monterrey Bay area of California.

Arriving in Auckland....we drove across the countryside to the West Coast and the beautiful
Piha beach.  Also visited a rainforest area and enjoyed a relaxing hike to appreciate the local flora and fauna.

Stopped by the Bay of Islands in North New Zealand where the weather warmed up a bit and headed back to Sydney on "Australia Day" Arrived with a big celebration in the harbor with Tall Ships and such.  It reminded me of our Fourth of July celebrations, fireworks and all.  
Well....I left out a lot, but I don't believe in disgustingly long blogs.  If I included everything I would have broken that rule! 

After arriving home and visiting family to celebrate my mother in law's 90th birthday and a trip to the Frist Museum with my son to enjoy the Dutch Masters exhibit....I'm so full of inspiration, I'm about ready to burst.  That's a good thing because I only have 9 weeks until my solo show at Belle Meade Plantation opens and I'll be in the studio with blinders on until then! 

Happy New Year ! Welcome 2013

The years can go by so fast.... 2012 was no exception.  Thinking about the blessings and challenges that whirled around within the past 12 months makes for some introspective moments on this last day of the year.

Hello 2013, glad to meet you head on and with a grateful heart for all the family and friends in my life. 

Posted here is my latest portrait of a wonderful woman with her Tennessee Walker and Australian Shepherd.    She has rescued and worked tirelessly for the welfare of abused horses in our state and surrounding counties. You couldn't find a person with a bigger heart. My favorite thing about doing portraits is meeting people and getting to know them through the process. It was an honor to paint this for her.  It was the last portrait commission that I completed for the year.

As for Lakehill Studio....I'm looking forward to some new opportunities and directions for 2013. Some known and for sure some unknown to me at the moment.....
More on all that as the months start rolling by!  So for now..... Happy New Year !

Check out Laurel Leaf Boutique

Fall is a popular time to visit Leiper's Fork, TN. This picturesque small town is  right near the Natchez Trace Parkway and is a wonderful stop for an afternoon of strolling down it's main street full of  Art, Antiques and good local food.  I just got back from changing out some of my artwork there and here is a view of it hanging at The Laurel Leaf Boutique.  The owner Bethany Reiser has added fashions to it's wonderful mix of art and original handmade jewelry and ceramics.  I love their tag line "Find Something Perfect"....because you will do just that at Laurel Leaf !

Tax Ruling

To fill my promise to post some of the paintings that were at Belle Meade Plantation this summer, here is "TAX RULING" ( with Darren Nagle in the irons ).  This painting was inspired by Tax Ruling's first win at the 2010 Iroquois Steeplechase.  The size is 20 x 24.  Tax Ruling also won the Iroquois in 2011.  In 2010 it was a sunny beautiful day and the light brought out the warmer tones in this beautiful horse's coat.  On cloudier days he appears a much darker bay color....stunning either way !
Mr. Irv Naylor is the owner of this impressive horse among many other successful horses in the steeplechase world.  I also painted "Chess Board", another of Mr. Naylor's horses for last year's solo show.  Mr. Naylor's story is inspiring to say the least and if you'd like to read more about this amazing man, here's a link to a story written about him in the "Pennsylvania Equestrian"  by Terry Conway in 2011.

http://pennsylvaniaequestrian.com/news2011/february/Champion-Owner-Hopes-For-Personal-Triumph.php

Do you love to read about and follow Steeplechasing ?   Here's the link to THE place to find out
all you need to know.... The Steeplechase Times.....http://www.st-publishing.com/cms2/

The second shot here is a look at the space at the Belle Meade Art Gallery in the Visitor's center just before the show opened this June.   I've been informed that I have another spot for my 4th solo show there in 2013....needless to say, I was very happy with that news!

Jump Jocks

Here's another painting that was new this year at the Belle Meade show.  "Jump Jocks" is an 11 x 14 oil painting of steeplechase jockeys waiting for their horses to arrive for the next race at the Percy Warner Park steeplechase grounds in Nashville.  I am constantly amazed at the particular athleticism and talent that the jockeys must have to compete in this sport.