Witchy

I was feeling a little witchy this week so I painted this cool, one of a kind, Halloween treat box. I think it would also make a nice catch-all by your front door. A great place to throw your keys, mail and odds & ends.

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More Sleepy Hollow

I just can't get off my Sleepy Hollow kick! Here's another one of a kind box...

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Summer in Lancaster County

I live in Amish Country and sometimes it's a pain, like driving to my mom's house today and having to navigate around 50+ buggies and 50+ tourists. Sometimes, however, it is a blessing, like viewing all the gorgeous farms, animals, fields of grain and billowy cloudy. We were on our way to visit my mom, see my grandmother who is in from Las Vegas for the summer and pick up my daughter's cousins to spend the night at our house. I happened to have the camera on me and since my husband is not one for stopping the car while I act like a tourist taking pictures, most of these photos were taken inside a moving vehicle.
There were so many lovely images I wasn't able to capture but they are still with me in my mind; four horses of various sizes and colors standing under a shady tree next to a stream, two young Amish boys running through a cow pasture sans shoes, a gorgeous mini mare in a lush green field with her frolicking young foal and and old farm house surrounded by lilies of all colors.
So here are a few pictures taken from the car. The one of Thomas the Train was one I was able to jump out and take (right place at right time scenario, Zoe was so excited). The picture of Zoe and her cousin, Faith, were taken in my mother's HUGE garden. I love the bamboo tee pees for the heirloom tomatoes.

Folk it up!

I'm on a big Sleepy Hollow kick lately. Here is a simple, primitive box that I "folked up" with the Headless Horseman. Currently on ebay.

Sleepy Hollow Time

Lately I've been on a folk art kick and have been having so much fun with it so I thought I would paint a clock with the Headless Horseman. I am so happy with the way this came out, I had to share! The auction will be listed later tonight so please check back. Thanks for looking!

Gypsy Mare Studio Auctions

Equine Art Exhibits in PA

Coming to South Eastern Pennsylvania this summer are two fantastic exhibits featuring the horse in art.
At the Brandywine River Museum from June 7th to September 1st is an exhibit of the work of Sir Alfred Munnings.
Munning is one of the greatest horse painters to ever lay brush to canvas and I am so excited to see this show. His painterly style is something I would love to be able to reproduce. I love the way he captures a elegant lady on a fine Thoroughbred horse.


The second exhibit(July 12 – September 7) is at the Reading Public Museum. This show will cover the horse in art over a span of 3,000 years from ancient Greek vases to a contemporary sculpture by Deborah Butterfield.
On August 9th they are having a family day that will be free to the public with equine art experts, pony rides and more.

So, if you're a lover of horse art you should definately consider a trip my way this summer. Wild horses couldn't keep me away:)

Hershey Park Happy

I took the day off today to go to Hershey Park. My husband isn't much for roller coasters but I was able to get him to ride the newest one, Fahrenheit. After a 30 minute wait, which isn't too bad for a new ride, I was not disappointed. I think it was the most thrilling coaster I had ever been on. It has a 97 degree drop which I read is currently the steepest in the US. This was followed by a series of rolls and inverted loops all of which you travel at 58 miles per hour (felt like 200 to me).

The best part of the day however, was taking our daughter around and seeing her enjoy all the kiddie rides. The carousel is my favorite and for the first time she was big enough for us to ride side by side without me holding onto her.

Here is a picture I took that I really like. We were up really high on a ferris wheel, above the new water park and a wooden coaster. Storm clouds threatening in the sky. You can see the twin smoke towers that read "Hershey" at the factory in the distance.

How does your garden grow?

Now that the hot weather has rolled around, the tomato plants are growing like crazy. Especially my two heirloom Brandywine tomatoes I planted about 20 days earlier than I should have. The red one already has a nice size tomato on it. My Washington Boro plant has several tomatoes and a few are just starting to get the lightest pink blush. I can't wait! I am especially excited to make sauce and salsa.
My husband's favorite pasta topper is pesto and luckily I had just enough basil to make a batch for his Father's Day dinner. There is nothing so good as fresh pesto made with basil from the garden!

New Additions

I've had so much wonderful time to paint, thanks to my dear husband:)
I thought I would work on some light hearted, whimsical signs as well as a more realistic dressage horse sign. All are currently on ebay.






Next week is a very exciting one for me. I'm starting an equine painting workshop taught by a member of the American Academy of Equine Artists. The class is being offered at the Grebinger Gallery which is only about 5 minutes from my house. The instructor, Stephen Leed, was teaching a class on song bird painting last winter and I asked the gallery owners if he would teach a horse painting class. To my surprise they said yes and I enrolled right away. I am excited and a little bit nervous too. The class is in oils and I haven't played around with oils in over 10 years. It should be fun and I will hopefully learn a lot. We'll see!

Summer Vacation

Well, school is out and I can finally get some work done. Since my husband is a teacher, he can watch our 2 year old daughter while I paint. Today he took her to Chuck E Cheese and a local farm market that had a petting zoo while I completed 6 pendants. I am so thrilled to be able to get something done and I'm sure he enjoys spending time with Zoe instead of going to work. I should have a lot of artwork on ebay this summer so please check my Ebay auctions frequently.
Now I'm off to paint some more since he just took her to the pool. Yipee!

To hot to paint...

Yes indeedy the last few days have been killer here in PA with no sign of relief until Wednesday. Still then the temps are going to be above normal but at least they won't be near 100 degrees with dew points in the 70s. It is entirely too hot to paint. I was able to squeeze in a sign on Saturday with a portrait of the race horse Big Brown. I was so hopeful that he would win the Belmont. I guess the heat got to him as well! While searching through Big Brown's owner's website, IEAH Stables, I discovered that they own a mare I used to care for. Ferege was such an awesome filly when I knew her. Such a sweet personality, love to follow you around and get scratches and rubs. At least I know now that one of my favorite horses is in good hands. Maybe someday she will make a Little Brown.
Take care everyone and stay cool!


Big Brown Sign Auction

More Kitty Pictures

Just thought I would share a few more kitten pictures I just took. They are cute as buttons. If we keep one (big if), we will probably keep the black one. I want to call him either Edgar or Poe.