Elin Pendleton - Misty Landscape Finished 24 x 36 oil

It's finished. Just exactly what I wanted it to be, with enough detail to keep the viewer interested in all areas of the image. And yet with a focal point that sneaks up on you--because of the mist and the closeness of values in that area. This 24 x 36 oil is available for $1200 although right now I don't want to sell it.

How fun to finally pull one off that really says my art is going somewhere. I'm on a roll, expanding my thinking and yet paying homage to those who have gone before. In this case, it is Lanford Monroe, an East Coast artist who passed away at the young age of 50, and who was a stellar painter of the woods and Rockies--her husband printed a book of her work, called Homefields, and you can find it on line. I regret not knowing her while she was alive, but that is as it must be. Her ability to both tell a story and paint beautiful landscapes will live on forever because of his labor of love.

On another note, I was honored to receive Best in Show at the Maloof Foundation opening last night. As they were naming artists' names, I celebrated each one, for I know their work and it is an honor to be hanging with them. Then first place, going to my friend Pat Ford, and finally the wait for the highest honor.... and the judge called my name! Here is the painting--it is one I did while at the Santa Rosa Plateau, near the Vernal Pools, and is an 8 x 10 oil.

The judge said it had that extra "spark" she seeks in plein air work, and I'm hoping she was refering to the color!!

Tonight I was at the Riverside Art Museum plein air painting while a great event was going on--Several of the best restaurants and wineries in the Riverside area brought out samples of their fare and we had music and painters while folks enjoyed the cuisine and libation. I painted two 12 x 16 canvases in the three hours, and you'll see one of them tomorrow. The music was great!

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Going Green

After working on detailed commissions all summer I wanted to loosen up and have some fun so I painted this more abstract equine acrylic painting the other day. I played with the colors to arrive at the newest addition to my Cafe Press Shop so equestrians can endorse recycling and 'Green' environmental efforts too. This just puts a horsey spin on it. A horsey spin is always a good thing unless the 'spin' is part of a spook and bolt but we won't think about that!

I do believe if horses could talk they would say that they most definitely are all for 'going green'--going into the green pastures with lots of green grass is top priority in the minds of all horses! Horses even start off their riding careers green in which horsey spins are more likely! Oops, there I went spinning off in that directions again!

You can see more horsey gifts, t-shirts, and equine and farm animal decor here and my more serious equine art here.

Sue Steiner

http://www.suesteiner.com

Collection by Catherin McMillan

"Collection"

by

Catherin McMillan

10" x 14" pastel on canson pastel paper

I love paint horses and especially those depicted in such a classic dressage pose.

This original work is for sale if you are interested in purchasing this piece the email me at

catherin@animalarthouse.com

to see more of my work visit my website

www.animalarthouse.com

Return of the Muse

I'm fortunate to have a number of great models on my farm, but the one I have painted the most is my own Thoroughbred mare, affectionately known as Monster. Standing out in the field, under her fly "armour" she looks quite remarkable, but she's very photogenic, and if I limited myself to my reference photos of her, I'd still be busy for a long time to come.

This painting is a 24 x 20 oil on canvas, and it's called "Emerging." The original is available, but I'll also be doing giclée reproductions. If you're interested, let me know! As always, you can see what else I'm doing on my own blog. Hope you'll come over and have a look!

Full Circle

With another beautiful August day stretched out before me, I have just finished a new papercut, I have already cleaned the stalls, mowed the orchard and then weeded a bit in the veggie garden. I have also started sketching out a new cutting and I am watering the front gardens with the dragonfly sprinkler. [It cuts a wide swath of water over the thirsty flowers....but a different type of cut than my cutting paper!]This circle isn't actually round, but it is hard to cut a perfect round. I feel I have done a good job when the final image does not leave a horse with one leg missing or no ears! "Full Circle" is sized about 9 x 9" ........ a good size, and it depicts a sidesaddle rider and her mount.This image was inspired by one of the exhibitions at the Kentucky Horse Park when I went to KY. A lot of my new works will be coming from inspirations from that trip!

Shadows

This shot harks back to a shot I originally did many years ago, of my first horse, a grey, in his stall  with the long light of winter slanting in the door. At that time I had no idea what I was doing and was surprised but pleased with the result. That shot (still framed and on my dining room wall all these years later) was called "Simon Thinking About Becoming a Zebra".

I've been riding in the evenings of late rather than my usual mid-afternoon since the weather has been so hot. I often take my camera with me as the sunsets on the road  home can be spectacular. One evening a week or so ago I went to the west end of the stables to check on my friend's gelding, and realized that the play of light and shadow on the grey mare in this photo was giving me a chance to re-work the idea of zebra shadows on a horse. I now have dozens of variations on this theme, and will doubtless get a lot more yet before the sun has gone too far south for this kind of shot to be possible. 

Prints of this or any of my photo art can be ordered by emailing me for information judywood@sasktel.net  Original plans for my photo website have fallen through, but  I'm working on plan B now, and it will happen, just not sure when!! More photos of various sorts to be viewed on my home blog  http://judywoodartphotography.blogspot.com  Thanks for looking. 

New horses, photo shoot.

We had a great time taking photos of horses playing in the water. I did wish their mud puddle had been further from the road, but that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes! They still make great reference photos of horses in action, being horses....

These are a sampling of the photos we took and I'll be adding them to my reference photo blog for artists to use. If you're interested in using any of these photos before they're added on the other website, just contact me.
Donna Ridgway