May 20 - Harness Tracks of America Auction Piece #2

"Greased Lightning" The second in the paintings I am doing for the Harness Tracks of American auction. This year I'm sendng three 12 x 16 oils, and all three will be similar. I'm not sure why, but I enjoy painting skies and horses! Original oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches. Available only through their web site this fall.

May 19 - Harness Tracks of America Auction Painting

"Spirit of the Sport" Every year I paint at least two originals for the Harness Tracks of America Auction ( harnesstracks.com ) to assist in both the development of my equine art and also to support a worthy cause. Although harness racing is not a sport I can even see where I live, I do have many reference photos from my time at the Red Mile in Lexington. This non-traditional realistic painting I hope will raise good funds for their cause. Original oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches. Available only through their web site ( www.harnesstracks.com )or the auction this fall.

May 18 - Kiko Goats

"Study in Tans" Brown goats, brown hay, brown day. What a challenge to depict both space and value when faced with source material that is...well... "bland". A fun challenge, and one that stretches the color knowledge to its zenith. Tomorrow night is the gallery opening, so I'm getting some butterflies. Wonder if they'll stay still enough to paint? Original oil on canvas, 8 x 10 inches. $150

May 17 - Early Light Cloudscape

"Early Light" I picked up this oval canvas that has been sitting around for what seems like forever, and painted this early morning light on clouds , not thinking practically. Photographing this puppy for the web site and for this email has been a real "pickle." Oh, the photography was fine, it was manipulating it so I could make it easy for you to see its oval shape, that stretched those Photoshop abilities.
Regardless, here it is for your pleasure, camera shenanigans notwithstanding. Original Oil, 5 x 7 inches, $100.
Today I met with a couple on a commission reconnoiter trip to the area they want me to paint. We talked about time of day, expanse of the vista, and the complication of adding six people to the landscape. How's that for a challenge? You'll see it here first, I promise. Size for the Santa Rosa Plateau commission? 15 x 30 inches.

May 16 - My New Horse

I painted a large commission a half dozen years ago (you can see it on the commissions page at elinart.com) of six horses that belonged to a lady who was moving to Washington state. I traded that work for one of her young Foxtrotter colts. I later sold that colt as an almost two year old to a nice gal in Riverside.
Today I go to a trainers to look at a horse to buy, which didn't work out (too young, too tall). The trainer's wife mentions a horse that her mother has that might come up for sale in August. We go see her, I ride her, and am swept away by everything about her. After our ride, she looks at me and says, "I know you." Turns out that this gal is the one I sold the colt to, and this horse of her mother's is one of the six in the painting. The colt now belongs to her best friend, who also wanted to buy the mare.
Here's a quick study of the mare I'm buying, from one of the reference photos for the painting from so many years ago. Amazing that this horse is going to come into my life in living form.
Original oil, 9 x 12 inches.

One Artist Show Invitation

Here's the invitation to to the gallery opening this Friday... all the work for this show (31 pieces total) relates to the horse world, as it is Temecula's "Western Days". Today, Monday, I dropped off the canvases at the facility, and met the curator. This is a first--a real curator to hang the show! With the television interview and a curator, one might make an assumption that i'm some sort of celebrity? They still treat me the same in the grocery store. Oh well.

May 14 - Black Draft Horse Team

"Watching the Parade"  An original oil on board, this 24 x 30 is one I had planned on showing at the opening this week (with delivery tomorrow), but when I went to look for a frame, I found none, having used up the other frames of that size already on other work.  I have 24 paintings to deliver tomorrow to the gallery space with 54 linear feet of wall space--I wonder how they will manage to hang them all?  Not my problem, which is good, since I have a full plate this coming week with other things.
  This painting wouldn't have made it into the shown pieces anyway, because I got it on the easel and went after it, after studying it for a while.  In the image I've attached, you can see the new areas because of their sheen and my bad photograph.  I like working over pieces, as I have a certain amount of confidence that they are not finished until I have a gut feeling that they are.  Comes with time and practice, I imagine.  I especially like the design of this one, and the brushwork.  Each of the parade watchers is done with as minimal of brush strokes as possible.  I think this one will have some value some day.  (Beyond today's offer at $650).