Thoughts on Why I'm an Artist

False Modesty ~ 7" x 9" oil on canvas panel

For sale on Daily Paintworks

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Why am I an artist?

Hmmmm....

I remember sitting at the coffee table, at five or six years old. We had a brown shag rug that tickled my knees. 

Someone had given me a sheet of tracing paper and it was a revelation.

I could draw something that looked like what it was supposed to! It wasn't childish circle faces and triangle trees. It was a dog, or a horse, or whatever it was...I don't even remember the subject, but it looked like what I'd meant it to look like! 

My parents had beamed and exclaimed over how beautiful it was, always encouraging even my most childish scribbles.

As I sit writing this, my six year old daughter has just run up to me, beaming,

with her tracing of Draculaura. "Look how good I'm doing, Mom!" she trills.

"Wow! That's awesome!" I say. 

It doesn't matter that it's traced, it matters that it looks right to her. That day on the brown shag rug, I suddenly had confidence that maybe my little hand holding a pencil, could make something look right, how it was "supposed" to look. And I know that is what my daughter is feeling right now.

That day I decided I would be an artist. I didn't stop drawing. I drew everything I could and soon I didn't need to trace. I could make it "look right" all on my own.

Sunlit Bay

Sunlit Bay  6" x 6" oil on panel

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My attempt at showing strong sunlight on a dark horse...I must say he was a bit of a challenge, but I really enjoy working with the rich colors. 

This little guy is on Daily Paintworks starting at a really reasonable price. Click the link above, if you're interested.

Blue ~ or the otherwise white horse:)

Blue ~ 6" x 6" oil on panel

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Well, the horse obsession isn't going anywhere anytime soon! I'm happy to report that I've found a subject that I don't seem to get sick of painting, other than my kids!

I'm on a roll! I'm working on a few bigger horse paintings, too, so stay posted:)

Thoughtful ~ White Horse Portrait

Thoughtful ~  6" x 6" oil on panel 

For sale on Daily Paintworks

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bidding starts at $35

Happy Solstice, everyone! And happy new beginnings. According to the Mayan calendar, today doesn't mark the end of the world, but the end of a cycle. Today is the first day of the new cycle, which is supposed to be characterized by enlightenment, where great changes take place to thrust us into a new age of evolution as individuals and as mankind. I wish you all peace on your new journey.

Today also marks the shortest amount of daylight this year...Thank goodness as of tomorrow the days will be getting longer! I can't wait for the sun to come back. But really, isn't winter a time to settle in, slow down, ruminate, and recharge? Just like the plants do under the soil. They rest so that they can return, with more growth and beauty than before, when the sun returns. 

The Shaggy Pony

The Shaggy Pony 18" x 18" gallery wrapped canvas

$1200.00

This pony reminds me of Ireland...they have lots of beautiful, shaggy ponies...It inspired me to write a poem, which I haven't done in a long time, but I've been longing for the place lately...

O beautiful misty land of my dreams

I want to unfurl you agains my skin and breathe in your scent like a lover

I want to tangle my hands in the manes of your shaggy ponies 

and ride through your hills of heather

I long to dive from your cliffs and dance like a child

to the music of my ancestors.

This has to be the pony I dreamed of when I was a little girl. All messy mane and liquid eyes, multicoloured and fluffy...I fell in love with him all over again when I saw the photo, and I had to ask permission to paint him. The great reference photo was from Rapscallion...which would actually be a great name for this little guy...He looks like a rapscallion :)

Sundance the Buckskin

"Sundance" ~ 12" x 16" oil on Raymar Panel

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My newest painting...I've always been particularly enamoured with the buckskin, ever since "Dances with Wolves". I wanted that horse so bad! I love the feeling of exuberance in his pose, like he's about to explode into flight. I tried hard to achieve that feeling of liquid gold, how the sun glistening off of a horse's coat can sometimes look metallic. The photo didn't turn out very good this time. I'll try to post new photos when the paint dries and the glare dies down.

Also, it snowed here, at least 6 inches over the last few days. It makes it much harder to get good photos. I usually take photos of my art outside, on an overcast day, which isn't usually hard to do here, because it's usually overcast! But the snow bounces light all over the place. I'll have to come up with another solution.

Well, Bye for now:)

Beautiful Blue ~ Overo paint mustang

Beautiful Blue ~ 12" x 16" oil on Raymar panel

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Isn't he gorgeous? I've always had a fascination with blue-eyed animals. They are so rare yet so striking. I designed this guy with dramatic light to accentuate that blue eye...

Like I've probably already mentioned at least a dozen times, I used to be completely infatuated with horses. I started drawing them when I was six, I owned one by the time I was twelve, and she was my best friend. A chestnut purebred Quarter Horse named Miss Peeti Poco...I just called her Peeti. I drew her so many times that by the time I was a teen I could draw an anatomically correct horse, muscles, veins and all, with my eyes closed. I think I drew horses so much, that by the time I left home, I actually got sick of it, and started drawing people.  My horse passed away 12 years ago, and I miss her still. It has been years since I really spent any time with horses, or any time drawing them but lately my love has been rekindled. I have the opportunity to take up riding again, and also to get some great photo references. So expect at least a few more horses on here!

Dreams of Pegasus

12" x 16" oil on canvas covered wood panel

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Lately I've returned to my first love...horses. I have to say, I was really inspired by this month's International Artist winner, B.K. Lawes and his beautiful horse painting...just stunning with the black background and dramatic lighting. 

This painting is from one of my ACEO's...revisited. I haven't painted horses larger than 11 x 14 in years. This one isn't much bigger, but as it was successful, I think I may try an even larger canvas...fun!

Equine Trio ~ three of my recent horse portraits

 Backlit Beauty 6" x 6" oil on panel (SOLD)

 Golden Boy ~ 6" x 6" oil on canvas panel

Black Charger~ 6" x 6" oil on canvas panel

Here's a few of my recent little horse portraits. The top one sold from my Daily Paintworks page last week, I'm happy to report that the middle one is taking part in the Christmas Art Show and sale at the Quesnel Art gallery, along with my "Sunset Cows", and the bottom one is still for sale through Daily Paintworks. Stop by there, it's a steal!

Teamwork~ 10" x 10" oil on gallery wrapped canvas

I finished these guys a few days ago, but I kept forgetting to photograph them until it got dark!

So...now it's done.

This gorgeous pair of draught horses are the hardest workers in Barkerville, an old restored mining town that operates as a park in the summer. I've talked about it in previous posts, and done many paintings from there. It's one of my favorite places. It is a  place that has roused my imagination and created a passion for our history in my soul from the time I was a young child, running through the streets, shooting at imaginary gunfighters with my pop gun from the Mason and Daly general store.