more in progress...

1. More charcoal is added. An eraser is used to blend and add texture.
2. Color is added. Watered down acrylic paint adds a little depth to the horse's coat
3. More acrylic paint is added for some background. I chose watered down cobalt blue. I love how it blends with the charcoal to add shapes and textures.

Final piece, coming up!

I love fast drying quality of acrylic paint. I tend to work quickly, and acrylic paint ensures that I don't have to wait too long to work between layers. The muse in my head can get captured before it gallops away....

Prince Harry plays polo during first official US visit

Prince Harry of Wales, plays polo for the second annual Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic match in New York, Saturday, May 30, 2009. (photo: Reuters)

from AP news: He followed in his mother's footsteps Saturday by raising money for a charity that supports AIDS orphans as he played polo in a city Princess Diana loved.

The Prince not only looks like his mother, but he seems to be as generous and gracious as she was, too.

He also looks like quite the polo player!

(Yes, his team won!)

For the full story on the Prince's US visit, go here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090530/ap_on_en_ot/us_prince_harry

Work in Progress

I thought I would share this new piece as it progresses. It is charcoal (and other media, to be determined) on a 16" x 20" Ampersand Gessobord.

Usually, I do a prelim sketch on newsprint, then transfer it to the board using vine charcoal as a sort of carbon copier. This sketch went directly onto the board with a vine charcoal base and extra soft charcoal on top of the vine charcoal. I will add more layers of extra soft, extra black charcoal as the drawing progresses.

Vine charcoal is extremely erasable. The extra soft, compressed charcoal; not so much. The vine charcoal allows me to do many changes as the final drawing emerges. Since I do not copy photos and rely heavily on my imagination and memory to create a piece, the vine charcoal is a godsend. It allows my imagination to run wild. I can change my mind and change a line on whim. With one sweep of a cloth and few swipes of an eraser, I can change the position of the horse, the muscle, the expression. Anything. Memory and imagination are not static!

Once I see what I want to see, I can use a more permanent charcoal and add a thick, black line. The charcoal is given a coat of archival art varnish once the piece is completed.

I will post updates as this piece progresses.

Contango and Ravel

Like father, like son.

Contango was a top dressage stallion. Just take a peek and see why:



His beauty and fluidity of movement brings to tears to my eyes! Rest in peace, great stallion.

And his son, Ravel, placed 4th in the Beijing Olympics with the amazing rider, Steffen Peters.

Ravel is one of my favorite dressage horses; I fell in awe of him the moment I saw his performances at the 2008 Olympics. Check out that elasticity and superb collection! It's like he has springs in his joints. Amazingly beautiful:

Sound the Bugle, the horse

Here he is, Sound the Bugle, in his dressage teacher getup.

Rest in peace, dear horse.

Rachel Alexandra!

What a filly! If you didn't see her incredible Preakness, here it is in HQ video (youtube is awesome!):



Watch Rachel take an early lead and NEVER give it up! Watch the incredible Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird grab second place in the final moments, right behind the speed demon filly.

Rachel's ears were twitching as she was intently listening to jockey Calvin Borel-- just itching for the signal from Calvin to break loose and turn on the afterburners. This girl LOVES to run.

(And what about Mine That Bird? He was no fluke. I just love this horse! Watch him in the race, too-- he ran brilliantly. Came up from last to sneak up on Rachel Alexandra in the final seconds. Wow.)

Congrats to Rachel Alexandra and Calvin Borel! The first filly to win the Preakness in 85 years. Well done!

Hooray for the long shot!

Nobody considered Mine That Bird to be a threat on Derby day. The commentators never said more than just his name; just to acknowledge that he was in the race. He was a long shot with odds at 50-1. He cost only $9500, and his trainer drove him to the Kentucky Derby himself with a small trailer and his pickup truck.

He was a small, bay gelding with only a tiny little white fleck on his face. His previous American races were unremarkable, and although he was a Champion on Canada's racetracks, he was not viewed as a contender for this Derby.

But the stout little horse with the cowboy trainer proved them all wrong. With the great Calvin Borel as his jockey, he squeaked by on the rail in the last few seconds to snag the roses. He surged forward with such speed and power, he left spectators speechless. He appeared out of nowhere...

The little bay horse with the calm demeanor and the face of a kid's friendly 4-H pony just blew everyone's doors off.

Incredible.

The commentator seemed to be checking his notes--who's that? It's Mine That Bird? Really?



As Mine That Bird trotted around in the post parade with his ears perked, I couldn't help but think he looked a bit like Seabiscuit...and it seems he has that Seabiscuit heart, too.

Congrats to Mine That Bird!

Bonus: Here's the happy horse lovin' jockey Calvin Borel winning the Kentucky Oaks with Rachel Alexandra on May 1:



No whip, just heart and teamwork. When Calvin pats the great filly's neck right before her brilliant finish, I couldn't help but tear up a little.

Calvin Borel, you're the man!

Congrats all around.