Dressage

This painting is a 16 x 20 enlarged from an 8 x 10 study.
On another note, my cousin Carole from Kentucky, sent me a note about the last post.  I was questioning the style of riding where the horse was controlled by body language.  The name of that is 'Dressage'.  I have looked it up on You-Tube and watched some movies of demonstrations.  If you are curious you may want to check it out on that venue.
We are heading to Augusta, Mo. for a plein air event this week.  It's wine country and there should be some picturesque areas to paint.  I will post what I can from Derald's computer.  

More pictures from the ranch. Notice how everyone is smiling? It was a beautiful day.

This little Jack Russell was making sure the horses wouldn't leave the fenced area.

The pinto with the mask on would charge all the herd and make them run for their money.    I was told he was just 'fixed' and had a tendency to bite the other horses.  I guess he was mad his masculinity was taken.

Here is the 'biter'.  He was sure a handsome horse.  I don't know how he ate or drank with that contraption on.

I watched this horse during a lesson.  

This is Mary and her team of helpers.

This young lady had a lesson while I was there.  She is amazing on that horse.  All the 'commands' were via her body language.  The way she held her legs and squeezed, or the direction of her weight.  She sat up straight in the little saddle and really never appeared to be directing the hose with the reigns.  The name of that type of riding sounds like 'durrange' or something.....anyone know what I am talking about?

I took 253 photos today. Just thought I would share a few.

My first treat for the day was watching this gentleman shoe a horse.  That is one TALL horse.

The horse didn't seem to mind all the filing.

I started this painting and within minutes all the horses RAN across the field and behind the group of trees in jumped in the water OUT OF SIGHT.  I could hear them splashing and saw the water rippling.  Those rascals knew I wanted to paint them and they were teasing me.

Take a look at this horses eye!  Cool hugh?

The flies were bothering them.  Tails were swishing.

This horse was so shiny.  

I may paint this one.  

I tried to get a variety of view points.

This horse was so white it was amazing.  What was even MORE amazing is I only had unbleached titanium white.  NO titanium white!  Well I have 253 new photographs to work from.  My guess is.....I'll have to paint another 100!  Lucky for me the ranch owner will allow me to return.  She is also a painter!  And THAT is another reason I am LUCKY.  Now you would think I was making this up....but the ranch has not one but TWO Jack Russells.  And an elderly Border Collie (another of Derald's favorite dogs).  And I was driving down a road I had never been on, just looking for horses.  I found this ranch and stopped and asked permission to paint and take photographs.  It was heaven on earth.  I also got to watch a riding lesson!  It was amazing.  The young lady (student) guided her horse with her body.  Beats me how she did it, but with her legs she had the horse turning, stopping, backing up, riding nearly sideways (that was so cool to watch).  

8 x 10 to a 10 x 20 The original 8 x 10 was # 10/100.

After more work today. 

This is an enlargement from a small 8 x 10 from the series of 100 horses.  I am posting this one today for my Aunt Rosie to see what I am up to!  It's always nice when you get to the stage toward the end of the first pass, where there is no white canvas showing.  This horse was originally a reddish color.  But I wanted to have a simple dark background so I changed it to a white horse.  The photo reference is by Debbie Simmons.  The rider is Summer.  It is nearly 90% changed from the original photograph.  She did have on jeans with that hole near the knee.  I have to get this one done by the 30th.

Start, scape, try again

My original plan for the day was to enlarge a painting of these 2 horses.  My friend Sherry took the photo and I actually know the people that own them.  I did a small 8 x 10 in my series of 100.  I seem to be doomed when I plan things out too much.  I even began with a sketch!  All those 8 legs were in their proper place.  I was using a knife, which I usually enjoy.  Not so much today.

I got to here and threw in the towel.  Scrapped the sucker.  The composition was awful and I was struggling with that rainbow sky idea I had.

So I wiped the canvas and turned it horizontal and began to enlarge another painting I had previously done 8 x 10.  This photo is from Jim Loves collection of wonderful landscape scenes.  I figure I'll use it as one of the paintings I submit for this 'event' that takes place NEXT year in March.  I will submit the work the end of the month.  3 - 10 pieces.  I will be lucky to have 4 or 5 finished.  It's a start.  It's on my 'bucket list'.  

3 larger paintings I have been working on from studies and 'other things' that keep me busy!

Happy Easter!

I am on the Arts and Environment committee at my church.  We have been very active decorating.  This table arrangement of bread and grapes were for Holy Thurs. mass.

We are painting the interior of a rental house with historic colors.  We also stained and polished all the wood work!  WoW. What a job.  Lots of crown molding and wood floors.

The house really did turn out wonderful.

Father was last to have his feet washing during the service.

In the middle of all this was first Fridays!  This piece was done by a friend of ours, Dierk Van Keppel.  He has some wonderful hand blown glass work.  We are fortunate to have some of his work.

This is an arrangement I did for Easter near the baptismal font.

This is a niche of the Visitation.  There is a wonderful shadow that is cast from their hands in the ceiling of the niche.

Our theme color was....pink this year!  The flowers were fantastic.  This arrangement is in the chapel.

To relax Derald and I took about a 7 mile bike ride at Smithville Lake Easter Sunday before dinner.  The weather was wonderful, the location was close and perfect.  They have a great walking, riding trail all around the lake.

This morning our window crew came to install all the windows in the front of our house!  YEAH!  They are just great.  They are the fancy flip out and clean from inside windows.  

Two guys took about 5 hours for 6 windows.  It was quite a project today.

Painting #1

#2

#3  This is actually the same person on 2 different horses!  Her name is Sue Karkkainen from Canada.  She gave me permission to use her photographs.  The dog is Dottie.  She lives in San Diego.  The location.....my imagination. 

Update

I have been painting all day, but not on horses.  I have been painting the interior of a house!  The horses had to wait until evening.  One night I got carried away and lost track of time staying up until 1:30 am.

Note the change in the left arm compared to the painting below.  The arm was too long from the wrist to the elbow in this painting.  Why I didn't see that, I don't know.  Fortunately my painting buddy Debbie came over and pointed that out.  Thanks Deb!

Now the arm is correct.  The hat also had to change.  The brim was not shaped properly in regard to the head.  Sky and background details added.

ground detail

background detail