Solo Art Exhibition at Belle Meade Plantations Art Gallery 2011

Happily I’m celebrating the month of May with another solo exhibition at Belle Meade Plantation’s art gallery. The opening is Thursday, May 5th from 5:30 -7:30 . Belle Meade is located at 5025 Harding Pike in Nashville, TN. The art gallery is located within the visitors center. There will be a wine tasting and hors d’ oeuvres. Also… I’m excited that Walter Durham will also be there signing copies of his latest book “History of the Southern Grasslands”.
I have friends who are too far away to make it to the opening and so for that reason I am posting some selected paintings from this Steeplechase inspired show that are not yet on my website.
Look back a few posts and you will see some paintings that I’ve already posted that you will also see there……. “I’ll bring the flowers, The Lipizzaner, Zenyatta, Bubble Economy, and study of Cuse.
Last year I was in seventh heaven having a press pass to the Iroquois enabling me to take much better reference shots than I could have gotten otherwise. I was trying to stay “out of the way” of the business of the trainers and grooms while still gaining access to some wonderful shots. When I arrived in the morning , one of the first horses that came into my view at the barn was “Birthday Beau”. He was grazing with his handler, had finished a bath and was drying off in the sun back by the tents. I have loved and observed horses all my life, but the sight of a thoroughbred glistening in the sunlight will always take my breath away every time. His owner, trainer, Michelle Sanger could not have been nicer to me chatting for a few minutes despite the activity of race day ! No wonder Beau looked so content and happy that morning. So, here is “Birthday Beau”, oil, 9 x 12.
Also shown here is “Vine Hill Flying” Oil, 18 x24. I made my way to the backstretch and realized that I was not in the best place with a lot of late afternoon backlight ….but then I snapped a shot of Vine Hill looking like he was defying gravity. A beautiful rich chestnut horse, the light glowed on fire through his mane and tail as it was caught suspended in mid jump. I couldn’t resist the way the light pierced through the yellow jockey’s silks too. Continue to scroll down to 2 more posts with more selected work from the show.....