Little Lonestar & Hearts

The weekend was pretty much about Little Lonestar and hearts. Spent most of my studio time laying down oil washes on a Little Lonestar. I'm finding that light glazing is producing a richer result. The hearts pretty much showed up today. Not sure why I was graced with so many today (these aren't even all of them I saw today) but I love when they suddenly show up around me.

Little Lonestar

Little Lonestar being
painted to a grulla.


Dorsal stripe on Little Lonestar

More Hearts

Oozing out of a Pop Tart
(Yeah I caved this morning)

Blue tape on the wall when pulled off
pulled off tape (naturally) and double hearts.


...the sweetest heart today.

Picked the mushroom up from the
pack, dirt fell out...shape of a heart.


"Another Kiss"
Graphite and Watercolor on archival bristol.

After the Vacation: Work

My father laying in
hex wire in the coop.

Back to work...or at least I say it's work but it's not really work cause I do enjoy what I do. It's rarely a chore. It's rarely "work" and the best part is I get to work at home. Of course working from home has it's drawbacks. There are always many interruptions during the day. Some good, some not so good. I had been waiting a couple of weeks to build the chicken coop with my father. My poor girls were hanging out in the 2 car garage I own. It wasn't a bad accommodation, but it certainly wasn't the best. So when dad came over with tools in hand I dropped studio work to help.

I have to say it was very interesting to watch every part being built. I loved watching him work too. He was so careful with every part making sure it was square and perfect. In the process of all this cutting and building I began to have ideas about the discarded wood from the project. The wood was nicely weathered and I could picture something to hang. Here is what transpired from that vision. Fun...nothing serious.

Inspired by cut pieces
of weathered wood

Hen painted on with acrylics

Topped off with a bow
ready to hang

The coop took about a day to build and once finished one chicken loved it the other hated it. So I guess you can't please everyone all the time, even hens. Studio work resumed and I'm happy to say I made lovely progress on a wild patterned Working Girl resin. In general dry pigments, acrylics, and oils are placed on the piece first. Then the white pattern is layered on with acrylics. It will take approx 20 or more layers of white to get this pattern perfect. I'm about half way there at this stage.


Reference used for the pattern
on Working Girl

Color blocked in

After many layers
of white

Workbench & Sketchbook

View from the side
of the lake at Francis Slocum Park

Today I visited Francis Slocum Park with my son and good friends. It was nice to get out and be with people and just flesh out a few surroundings. I was only able to get a few sketches in the book. Seemed rude to just sit there and draw all day but I honestly could have if given the opportunity.

I seem to remember drawing this same view over 20 years ago when I went to Marywood College. I may have to try and find the old sketchbook I think the view is in. It would be fun to compare how the view has changed artistically for me. There were many people fishing today too. These two intrigued me and I tried to flesh them out discretely.

Love the belly
That was fun to draw

Heafty arms...fun!

Work has begun in the studios once again. Felt good to be back at the drafting table. I have several pieces being worked on at once but was very excited about painting bay so I started both the Telsa and the Working Girl resins. Both will be bay (or bay with white patterning.) All in all, work is going smoothly and I'm very happy with the new studio.

Working Girl resin
Will be bay tobiano with wild cat tracks

Telsa resin
Will be bay

No Idea....

Working Girl resin in bay tobiano
(almost done)

I have no idea how I managed to get work done yesterday with the cuteness that is bursting from the studio and the new ratties, but I did manage to bring the Working Girl resin closer to finish. I have decided that she will be my NAN 09 donation. I am a bit disappointed that I couldn't finish my "LIl Pumpkin" sculpture in time, but the problems on her legs are still a problem for me and I don't know how to solve the problem. I need a leg. Literally, I need to go and touch some horse legs for an afternoon. I'm honestly just lost when it comes to what is underneath and I need to feel it.

Wrinkles on a rattie, however, are quickly becoming something new I love to sketch and probably soon, flesh out in wax.

How snuggly soft!

My little piggly wiggly!

This Week...

Scarlett. A work in progress with some
friends in the background

Scarlett, Independence, Valentine and a Galena resin have all been getting my attention this week. I have been very focused on painting the horses and am pleased to tell owners that their horses will be coming home soon. The Valentine has been my biggest thrill. He was probably the very WORST model I have ever had to prep. It took about four prepping sessions to get him correctly fixed for painting. I have never seen so many pinholes before. Spray him and "pop" out came more pinholes fiercer than before!

The Scarlett is my next sales item. Yes, yes, have to get that sales plug in now. She looks pretty ratty at this stage. She will smooth out and soften up. She is typical of how my roans and varnishes start off. I've decided to paint her a chestnut varnish appaloosa. I mean, how could I not go wild with her? Wild is what everyone wants anyway and I sorta was curious to see how ol Barney's color (he used to be one of the old, old horses down at the barn) would look on this gal. I'm very excited to see her a little more finished.

Galena and an Independence resin

First though, Galena. She is being painted for a very good friend who is in dire need of a pick-me-up right about now. I decided I shouldn't let this resin sit on the shelves any longer. She needs finishing and is almost done. After tonight's entry I'll sit down with some green tea and continue to layer her hair and dapples and work on her hooves. I'm off the hook on her eyes this time around. The owner popped in these nifty glass eyes, so she'll get done quicker than normal. I'll be sure to show off some close up shots when she is complete. She is a stunning resin that I believe would look amazing in just about any color.

Infamous desk shot.
Its really dirty there this week.

Lastly, another infamous "desk shot" completely piled with pigment dust. I haven't even bothered to clean up yet since adding solid base colors to these pieces has been my main focus this week. Once I complete all the pastel work though I'll slowly start to clean up. Phew, gonna be a big job this time around.

Dive Bomber!

Bug suicide...never a pretty sight

Some days no matter how careful you are, accidents happen.

It's been a while since I had an annoying painting accident, but now that the warmer weather is upon us dive bombers hungry for a chemical "fix" are something to contend with while working and spraying out doors.

A fly in the gloss wouldn't be so upsetting if it happened on my resin and not on someone else's. It also wouldn't be so troublesome if the bug suicide happened on a horse OTHER than one going golden champagne. The lighter colors in pastels are, in my personal opinion, tricky and require much more time to finish than a bay or chestnut. A black fly on a lighter colored horse has only one way to go...OFF and when you pick anything out of goopy liquid its a pure mess.

Spattered legs

The bug body came out, but not without a fight. Legs remain on this horse's neck. The only action to take right now is to sit and wait for the piece to dry fully. He's been drying since last night and by late afternoon he should be ready for some sanding and scraping. I'll let you know how the repair goes.

Bitten by the Fleabite

Sucre and Rasam

It's a fleabite party here in the studio! I couldn't help myself last night when I was painting the little Sucre. I grabbed the Rasam resin and went to town giving him fleabites too. The blur on the right hand side of the photo is a fingerprint. No, not mine, my son's. He wanted to take some photos at the communion party and had a ball. Next time I'll check for sticky hands before handing over the equitpment. LOL

Off to another party today. This one is a birthday party down at the barn. Perhaps Francesco will be brave and hop up on the pony. It will be his first time if he does.