Today's Equine Art - Zenyatta

When I started researching Zenyatta I was struck by the length and beauty of her neck. I decided to portray her with neck arched as if during warmup. This is oil pencil, 9 x 12". She is listed in my Etsy shop.

Today's Equine Art

Here's an Andalusian concentrating hard on what is probably a sidepass. I like the colors in this; subtle shades of blue, yellow and rust. Oil pencil and conte on black. I listed it on eBay.

Today's Equine Art

Clifford inspires yet another new piece. This is oil pencil and conte, about 12 x 12". It is listed on eBay.

Today's Project: Horses

Dad took one look at this and started laughing. I'd tried to disguise him by changing the blaze, but couldn't. Here are two Cliffords! I did this to donate to the Michigan Morgan Horse Futurity Gala silent auction fund raiser. This is oil pencil, approx 9x12"

Today's Equine Art - Secretariat

I break out of an artistic hiatus with another portrait of Secretariat, the big red horse who, even years after his death, still continues to inspire the masses. I was eleven years old when I watched him win the Belmont Stakes. It still gives me goosebumps. I'm so glad I got to see it happen live.

This is oil pencil, approximately 9 x 12".

Today's Project - Dolphins

More victims of the Gulf oil spill -- I think this is my subconscious attempt to make them okay.

This piece is oil pencil and pastel on grey charcoal paper, about 10 x 13". It is on eBay. As the ad explains, the scan doesn't do justice to the myriad of colors in this piece -- there are blues, purples, yellow and other hues blending to add depth and movement to the scene.

Today's Project - Brown Pelican

Feeling pretty sad today about the situation in the Gulf -- so I drew this pelican as a sort of prayer for the birds and other wildlife. This is about 11x15", oil pencil, called, "To Blue Water".

Today's Equine Art - The Color Horse

He started out as a Friesian, but just became more and more colorful the longer I worked on him. Now he resembles a sculpture or carousel horse.

Pastel on black charcoal paper, approx 11 x 15".

Ebay Link

Today's Equine Art - Greys

Here are a couple of individual portraits of the grey sparring studs I did the other day. These are oil pencil on 11 x 15" pastel board.

Today's Equine Art - Sport Morgan

Morgans are great sport horses, known for their versatility. Plus, they are pretty! Here's Silly, a dressage star. This is oil pencil with conte, 8 x 10" on green charcoal paper.

Today's Equine Art - Morgan and Welsh Cob

A couple of young bachelors square off in a friendly sparring match. This piece is a mix of oil pencil, pastel and conte crayon, size 18 x 24" on pastel board. A Christmas commission. Shhhhh........

Today's Equine Art

I was commissioned to do Paula's ancient Tennessee Walker, King. He is a black horse with a little star and snip, and a very kind, expressive face. It's always fun to watch the work progress, so I took photos as I went along. This is oil pencil on black, 11 x 15".



Here's the outline.



Blocking in some highlights.



Now adding some more color details and highlights.



The finished painting. You can really see the soul in this old man.

Today's Project - Keeshonden

These lovely dogs were quite a pair. They belong to a friend of mine, Laurie, who also has Morgans. She wasn't sure about this photo as something to work from, but I just loved it. It is very natural and so unlike the "posed" photos so often used.

This is pastel, conte and oil pencil, 11 x 15", on black charcoal paper.

Today's Equine Art - Morgan

Xena, a seven year old Morgan mare, died this year from colic. Her owner commissioned this portrait as a memorial to her. This is oil pencil/conte, about 11 x 15".

Today's Equine Art - Buckskin

I'd been hanging out with Rex Peterson near Nashville, while he trains a whole string of Secretariats for the upcoming Disney movie. The head wrangler, Rusty Hendrickson is a big gruff mountain man from Montana, and a veteran of many films including Seabiscuit. He showed up with this cute buckskin named Top, to play Secretariat's lead pony. Top was learning how to bow.

Rusty now has this painting, which is 11 x 15", oil pencil and conte.

Today's Equine Art - Olympus Way To Go

Murphy is a sport Morgan stallion owned by Kathleen Reiman. This portrait in oil pencil is 12 x 15". I hope it does some justice to his memory.

Today's Equine Art - Palomino Morgan

This is Roadie, a palomino Morgan. This is part of my "Heart Horse" series, commissioned in June of this year. This piece is conte and oil pencil on light green charcoal paper, about 10 x 12".

Today's Equine Art

Thistle is a chestnut Morgan stallion. This is another in my series of "Heart Horse" portraits. 11 x 15", pastel/conte/charcoal.

Today's Equine Art

Tanek, a black Morgan stallion. This is another piece in my "Heart Horse" series. This is 11 x 15", oil pencil and conte.

Today's Equine Art

This is Paladin, a Morgan stallion, part of my "Heart Horse" series of commissions. This is 11 x 15", oil pencil on black charcoal paper.