The Post Parade, A Lesson Painting, Part II ~~ Kimberly Kelly Santini

ABOVE, DETAIL FROM "The Post Parade," 5" x 14", depicting the post parade at Saratoga Springs Racetrack on a sunny summer day, done in Golden Open Acrylics on an Ampersand panel, priced at $379 (scroll down to see the finished painting in it's entirety).

Interested in adding "The Post Parade" to your collection?Then by all means, please email me and we'll make it happen!

Yesterday you got to see the beginning stages of the painting - today I'll take you through to the final brushstrokes.

The changes may seem trivial, but these final three views include numerous tweaks and adjustments to the riders' bodies, the horses' legs, the rail, the dirt, and adding other sorts of details that make the painting sing.

And, believe it or not, there was more time invested in studying the piece and working these out than there was in getting to today's starting point!

ABOVE: "The Post Parade," finished!!

Thanks for sharing my artwork with your friends and family, and here's to a safe trip for all!

Kim

ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com

My Grandfather No one else in my family followed horse racing - it was something Grandpa and I shared. Some of my fondest memories are of us watching (televised) races together. Grandpa and Grandma retired to Arkansas (near Oaklawn) and I eventually moved to California, then back to Michigan, but we always touched base during Derby Week to share our picks and predictions. Grandpa passed away a few days after last year's race. But that hasn't kept me from sharing my pick with him. It IS tradition, after all, and isn't that what The Derby is all about? I think his money would be on Archarcharch - he always loved the Arkansas Derby winners. I like Brilliant Speed myself - it's that Dynaformer connection.

Racing for first place

It's been a while since I have posted here...couldn't even find my name on the list of artists.

I and most of the artists here participated in an online painting party...Belmont Stakes Virtual Party This painting is my interpretation of the photograph by Juliet Harrison sixe 4" x 6" acrylic paint.

This painting is reasonably priced for $50+$4. S/H all monies will be donated to Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society or T-bars

"Stretch," 42" x 16", acrylic on gallery stretched canvas, thoroughbred painting. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com .

This is NOT a traditional portrait by any means. But I didn't intend that.

Instead I wanted an image that represented the breed, the beauty inherant in that full out stride, the tenderness seen in the reach for a peppermint, the green of reflected sunlight off Kentucky bluegrass.

This painting is more about the summation of a lifetimes' accumulated equine memories, and less about a specific horse or moment in time.

Despite it's scale, it retains a contemplative quality that encourages you to linger as you travel down that path of memory.

Kimberly Kelly Santini

www.turtledovedesigns.com - distinctive 4-legged paintings, and home of the Painting a Dog a Day project (www.paintingadogaday.com )

"Now!"

This painting is the "slap happiest" I've ever done. It was part of a two hour challenge. I painted for two hours and it was almost finished, but not quite. I've worked on it another hour since the challenge was over. :) I just couldn't leave it like it was.

It was incredibly fun to work like this...

The word now was on the score board behind the horse in the photo I was working from. I included it in the painting. This painting tells a story of a single moment in time, the race is over, won or lost, and it's all about how this jockey and this horse are feeling right now. Doing this painting in two hours (and a little more) also gives it that feeling of right now...the brush strokes were fast, there wasn't much planning...it just happened.

You can see this painting as a work in progress on my blog.

Thanks for stopping by! Donna Ridgway