New Beginnings

Happy New Year! It sure has been a while since my last post--with a move out to the country near Bragg Creek, followed by the greatly anticipated arrival of our first grandchild, my art has had to take a back seat...but these are welcome diversions!

Here's what I've recently started. This is a detail shot from a larger drawing on illustration board. The colouration of this horse is referred to as "skewbald", as it is tan with large white patches. The horse also has a "bald" or white face, resulting in the eyes being blue--which is a challenge to translate in a drawing. It's still in progress, but the final piece will include a stormy background and a glimpse of the rider.  
  

Suzy

Suzy is a very athletic Quarterhorse mare in Lethbridge; saddled and ready to move some cattle. This is watercolour with coloured pencil, and is painted on cold press paper, a gift for my friend Barb, who loves riding this chestnut mare!

A Summer Ride

Here is an 8"x10" pencil drawing, done as a 'thank-you' for an opportunity to go riding a few weeks back. With a lovely disposition this 7 year old bay mare was also trained to bow!
I'll be doing more graphite work this summer as I have been travelling back and forth to B.C--the pencils and sketchbook are handy to pick up or set down as time permits. Hopefully more opportunities for horse-back riding are ahead!

Spruce Meadows time again

These paintings were done using Golden's Open acrylics, a paint which mimicks oils with its slower drying time. Even when dry the colours keep their vibrancy beautifully. I always enjoy using these paints!

In the Warm-Up Ring