WIP for "I'll Bring the Flowers, Iroquois Day"

When I started this blog, one of my intentions was to post some WIP or "works in progress" shots that I snap from my easel through the process of a painting.
This is the first one that I have actually posted. I start out with good intentions of making a chronicle of the progress of more of my paintings. I'll get the first few shots and then get so into the painting that I forget all about shooting more and then... oops...it's done. I'll have to work on my system for remembering to snap pictures more often!

Here is a short progression of an 8 x 10 painting entitled "I'll Bring the Flowers". It was inspired by one of the stylish attendees of the races on Iroquois day at Percy Warner Park in Nashville. I loved the pink of her dress against the green of the grass. (This painting will be included in my solo show at Belle Meade Plantation's Art Gallery this May.) Most of the work at the show this year was inspired by the sights of the Steeplchase Races on Iroquois day in 2010.

I did this sketch with a mixture of burnt umber and ultramarine with a medium/small sized brush. No pencil drawing..dove right in with the paint, tried to keep it sketchy but proportional. When the canvas is small I will usually start right in with paint and "draw" with the brush... actually, I have been starting out that way more and more lately even with my larger canvases. It helps me think in terms of blocking in masses more than getting too bogged down with a linear approach.

The next shot shows a general blocking in of the value of the green trees/grass of the background. I usually start with a toned canvas, however I did not tone my canvas on this one because I wanted the white of the canvas to help the brightness of the pinks and pastels of the dress.

Blocking in the local colors gets paint all over the canvas and starts to generally show my values. I'm not worried about the details at this point...mostly working on values.


The final painting shows the result of refining the drawing. The temperatures and values of the colors have all been pushed and pulled to this point. I will set this painting aside in a place where I'll see it everyday and with a fresh eye....then I'll know if it's truly finished.

The Lipizzaner

Here is one of the paintings that I finished over the past months. I've wanted to do this one for a long time so I could take a beautiful horse such as this and play with the light. Of course the stage at the shows have no straw down....but I wanted to imagine this beautiful horse walking across the warm reflected light from the straw and the cooler flood light from above and just go with that imaginary place in this painting.... I imagined the two walking backstage toward the curtains leading to the performance area. Yes, I know that straw all over the floor is probably not reality behind the curtains either....that's where I claim artistic license :-). It's been a year since I saw the Lipizzaner stallions in Nasvhille....waiting patiently for them to come through town again!

New Gallery in Leipers Fork, TN

This past weekend was a success at the Webb School's Art show in Knoxville. I met some wonderful East Tennessee horse owners and really look forward to completing some commissions that were a direct result of participating in the show.

This past month I was happy to add another Gallery in the middle Tennessee area to represent me and my paintings. Right now you can regularly see work of mine not only at Gary Tisdale's Midtown Gallery in Nashville, but at Bethany Laurel Reiser's Laurel Leaf Gallery in Leiper's Fork TN. If you are not familiar with Leiper's Fork...well, it's a gem of a town and takes you back to a slower paced time and place. The horse farms that line Old Hillsboro Road out to Leiper's Fork are a beautiful site to behold and is one of Tennessee's scenic byways for sure. Another plus is that Leiper's Fork is close to the Natchez Parkway. Laurel Leaf has wonderful jewelry and gifts along with a dedicated gallery area and is located on the first floor of a building that fits right into the original structures lining the main street. Have lunch at a number of quaint restaurants in the area such as Joe's Natural Bakery and Cafe ( for all you locavores ) or Pucketts Grocery. Looking for a great Saturday drive and relaxing afternoon....Leiper's Fork is the place for you.
Shown here in pictures is my wall at Laurel Leaf that will change out periodically.
Also, a view of the front of Laurel Leaf with the proprietress, Bethany on the porch.
Finally a shot of the entire building in case you are looking for it on main street...it'll be easier to spot! I can't wait to drive out there in the spring and see the foals all romping in the fields on the way ..... :-) I can almost smell the
fresh air just thinking about it!

Artxtravaganza at the Webb School, Knoxville

This weekend I'll be at the Artxtravaganza Art show at the Webb School of Knoxville, TN.
It's the first time I've been invited to this show and I look forward to meeting lots of new people from the area and maybe a few horse lovers will find some time to stop on by.

Shown here is a painting that I will be bringing to the show entitled "Warm-up at Rolex", a 16 x 20 oil on canvas.

Here is the website in case you are interested in any more information: http://www.artxtravaganza.com/

Here's a quick glance at the hours of the show.....

Friday (3/4/2011) 2:00 - 8:00
Opening Reception: 6:00 - 8:00
Saturday (3/5/2011) 10:00 - 5:00
Sunday (3/6/2011) 12:00 - 5:00

Hope to see you there!

Some new studies....Zenyatta, Bubble Economy and Cuse....

It's been a wonderful time to be working in the studio with all the glorious winter wonderland views out the window. But I'm ready for spring.

I have a lot going on as far as paintings go and have been racking up some major hours working on new pieces headed for my galleries this spring. Here are a few studies that have just been finished. One is of course the great "Queen Z" Zenyatta. I need more head shots in my portfolio and I thought that she was a great candidate since she has that beautiful dark bay coloring and wonderful ice cream scoop blaze down her regal face ! The fact that she was the The horse of the year for Thoroughbred racing in 2010 is also a plus!

The other two paintings here are small studies, only 5 x 7 and were done to see if I may like to paint larger pieces. They were both inspired by my day at the Iroquois races in 2010. One shot was of "Bubble Economy", headed back to the barns after winning his race and being thoroughly doused with buckets of cool water after leaving the track. What a beauty.

I loved the way the light was dancing all over the grey coat of "Cuse"...a steeplechaser that raced that wonderful sunlit day in Percy Warner Park. More pieces to come as the spring days move closer!

When I do these small studies....I like to use a method that was used in some landscape workshops I've had in the past. Obviously painting from life is the best option. But with animals.... it is not always practical for reasons you can imagine...like they are rarely still. So...my own photo references help me to at least remember the basics of the pose I would lke to do. I'll take some prints or shots on my laptop screen and place it next to my easel and paint as if I were standing there looking at the real thing. I know that photos distort and blend the values in the lights and the darks. Those are the kinds of observations that I try to make sure that I take note of when taking the shots. I can paint the things into the painting that aren't readily seen in the photo....but I remember those cool and warm shadows and can pick and choose about my edges and what I want to emphasize. The best thing about this is that with every painting, my drawing skills get a little sharper. I don't use a pencil at all anymore to start these smaller paintings on the canvas, rather I draw with the brush from the beginning. I've been drawing all my life...but I believe it is a "use it or lose it" skill.
I DO NOT use a projector or trace anything from the photos and these little studies are great for sharpening observation and drawing skills. With every small study I do...if I choose to make a larger work from that study...I've already drawn it once and it is easier then to draw it larger...since I've already made some mistakes and learned from them. So these 5 x 7 studies help me to draw/paint what I see...as if those wonderful thoroughbreds stop and pose just for me.

"A Nice Cold Draft"

Winter is about here because the flurries were falling this morning in Nashville! The winter cold inspired my painting "A Nice Cold Draft" which I did to participate in the International Equine Artist's Group Winter/Holiday on line show. Go to the IEA site ( link is below...) if you would like to relax and scroll through some fun equine paintings inspired by the season.
They have an easy people's choice voting system in place, so choose your favorite and cast a vote. Merry Christmas to you all!

Here's the link: http://www.internationalequineartists.com/winterexhibit.html

Fine Art in Brentwood 2010

Come on out to Brentwood Academy in Brentwood, Tn. this weekend to see a wide range
of wonderful art. This will be my first year participating in the Fine Art in Brentwood Show and I'm excited to be invited. I'll be showing a lot of my equine paintings but also some small gift sized oil paintings that may make that perfect Christmas present. Here is the link to their site so you can get all the information that you need !

http://fineartinbrentwood.com/