Let the show begin!

Today is the first day of the Devon Horse Show but I got a little behind the scenes peek when I went to hang some of my paintings in the Caracol Inspired Jewelry booth yesterday (adjacent to the warm up ring if you are going). I wasn't able to get many photos of the horses but let me tell you, I was in heaven. Both rings were full of some of the finest riders in the country all preparing their mounts for the show.

 

All of my paintings were created from reference photos I had taken at the Devon Horse Show over the years. This bay beauty is a side saddle mount.

If you make it to Devon this year please be sure to stop by the Caracol booth!

Where Champions Meet...

Yes, my dream is coming true, I will have a few paintings on display at the Caracol Silver booth this year at the Devon Horse Show.  For the next 10 days I will be working like a mad woman to finish a few new paintings, all will be based on photos I have taken at this prestigious show over the years. I have been going to Devon ever since I was a young child. My father worked for Mrs. Hope Scott and she would give us free tickets. Next to Christmas it was the highlight of my year (and still is).

So looking through boxes of old photos taken before digital cameras existed, I found some nice black and whites I wanted share. Had to scan these in so the quality isn't the best. I love the elegance of side saddle and it's still one of my favorite events to watch.

 I noticed last year they don't wear the beautiful top hats anymore.

I suppose it's safer but doesn't look as pretty.

Please stop by the Caracol tent if you go, right near the exhibitor's entrance of the Dixon Oval.

Mahogany Bay

Just finished my newest ACEO sized (2.5" x 3.5") mini painting. This horse was from a photo I took at the 2000 American Gold Cup at Devon. It may have been called the Budweiser Gold Cup by then. I hate how huge corporations have to own everything!
So this sweet guy, with the gorgeous reddish brown eyes, was ridden by Mclain Ward. I've been looking everywhere to find his name, the closest I could find was a Selle Francais stallion that he was riding around that time named Galileo. He was also riding a horse at that time named Fior. Wish I would have written these things down!
Anyway, this was a really striking horse, had a lot of Arabian traits. I may want to make a larger painting of him someday. His coat was difficult to paint. It ranged from nearly blacks to burnt orange to dark mahogany. This little tiny painting took me all day believe it or not! Wish I could have gotten a better photo. I really need a scanner.
I'm really enjoying these mini paintings I think they are great practice for creating larger works.



And here is a picture of one of our crazy cats. His name is Meemee Doodle. Our cats prefer their water fish flavored. They have refused to drink out of their own water dishes. Luckily they never bother the fish. In fact the fish often comes up and touches the cat's tongues when they drink.
Meemee likes to rest his head on the bowl in a very awkward way with a crazy look in his eye.

Calling all horse lovers!

I just set up a blog for my Etsy team, Whoa Horse Art. I only have very basic information on there but am in the process of adding blog links, photos, websites and more. In the near future everyone on the team will be able to add sales info, new work, treasuries, fun stories, promotions, and more. I am really hoping that in March we will be able to coordinate a team giveaway. It's going to be very exciting and we have new artists joining the team every week. If you are a horse artist and would like to join the team just let me know.

New Foal WIP

I had started this cantering chesnut horse painting over the summer but wasn't really happy with it. So yesterday I worked a little more and now I am satisfied. He just needed his coat shined up a bit:)

Also started work on a painting of a foal. I raised this guy at the Thoroughbred farm I managed for 8 years. Unfortunately he was put down after he broke his leg in a race. How incredibly sad! Since Eight Belles was destroyed after the KY Derby last year, I've stopped watching horse races.






I was going to post a finished picture of my Tunis Sheep painting but it looks pretty much like it did in my post below. We have one nice little gallery here in East Petersburg and it is going to hang there next month. Haven't had a piece in a gallery in AGES so it will be fun to have it there!

Also snagged a new treasury this morning. Here's a screen shot. It's called "Palomino".

Where to begin?

I have so much to blog about today, I don't know where to start.
My garden is growing like gangbusters. My Brandywine tomatoes are now taller than I am! The red Brandywine has a tomato on it that is absolutely enormous and shows no signs of slowing down and ripening. I wonder how big it will get (stay tuned). My poblano pepper plant has several large peppers on it and I'm not quite sure what to do with the. Does anyone have any suggestions?
The lilies I bought from the Michigan Bulb Company are pretty as can be. I bought a mixed bag so I didn't know what colors they would be. The one that bloomed today is the most gorgeous shade of yellow that blends into orange near the center.
If you look back at my May blogs you will see how small some of my gardens are and how lovely they are today. I can't believe how fast everything has grown. Next year I am going to at least triple the size of my veggie garden. I can't wait!

I finished my three week equine in oils painting workshop today. I would say I had fun. I'm not sure how much I learned but it helped to get me back into oil painting.
My painting is not quite finished yet but how much can a person really get done in 6 hours. The instructor, Stephen Leed, was very nice and he said he would help me if I ever needed it. The only other person in the class was a 17 year old who had never painted before so I think she held me back a bit and also took up more of the instructor's time. The nice thing about her is that she lives about 2 miles away and her mother invited Zoe and I over to play with their mini horses and fainting goats.
I can finally get some good mini photos to work from.

Here's a photo of my painting from the class. I would say it is about 75% finished.
The shadow at the top is from my easel.



Lastly, I have completed two more halloween art pieces for ebay. One of my popular Halloween horses and a candle sconce with a witchy theme.

Please check my auctions if you want to bid!



Thanks for reading. It ALWAYS makes my day when someone posts a comment:)
~Jen

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:)

Hunter's Moon

I've finally finished my painting, "Hunter's Moon" and had to share. I struggled a bit with this one but I think I finally have it at where I'm happy. It is an arcylic on gallery wrapped canvas, measuring 12" x 12".
I will list it on ebay later today.
Thanks for looking!
Jen