"My Turn Next"

"My Turn Next". oil on 36"x 24" canvas

Started this 2 years ago, and due to a variety of  incidents and house decorating and repair, it got left behind, and then a few weeks ago I managed to start building up the tones and colours.

It was hard work getting back into the routine of painting but I got as far as you can see, much more practice to do but on smaller canvases next!

The original photo I took at the Caledon Equine Centre in Palgrave,  a lovely place to see horses and riders in action and great for photographs.

Next week I'm having a cataract operation so hopefully my left eye will be in tune with my right which should help me concentrate better!

John

"Two Friends"

"Two Friends"  Oil on  8x8 board

Last week  we delivered a painting 8x8 oil on board it was of two horses close together. Our neighbour asked if I could paint it for a close friend who was upset her horse had died suddenly. She had him for 33 years and they were very close.

The picture has a story and made me think how much intelligence horses have.

It seems the horse in the back of the picture is younger a close friend to the older one. It seems if the older horse decided to rest and sit down the younger one stayed close by his side if any other horse came near he would make sure it moved away in short shrift  they were true friends!

My thoughts are we don't know half about animals and their obvious abilities to help and care for their own kind.

Babs

PS thank you Marianne giving me the opportunity to pick up the brushes again! 

American Pharoah

"American Pharoah" oil on 8x10 board

After seeing a photo of Pharoah and reading the story in the attached link I decided to paint a small painting, 

He certainly a beauty and well known a horse like this doesn't come along too often. Hopefully he will have a long and happy life.

An excellent story in Pharoah is here

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10207750790791237&set=a.1218070175377.2033935.1337570468&type=3&fref=nf&pnref=story

Babs 

Work in progress!

What next!

Got a bit lost here, you stare at horses and riders and paint what you see, then you look at your painting and it seems everything has moved, especially the horses legs!
But we shall persevere!
First painting in a year and its doing me good to get back into it.
Oil on 36x24 inch canvas, from a photo I took at Caledon couple of years ago.
John

Percherons

Percherons oil on 11x14 board

I really enjoyed painting these two horses close up, mainly because of the different subtle colours in their coats varying from blues to blacks Browns and orange and because they were both standing so close together it took time to make sure they looked separate!

It was a challenge which encouraged me to squint a lot!

My thanks to you Barry for such great photos
They can be seen here:
http://cameraonking.blogspot.ca/2015/07/percherons-at-windy-hill-farm.html

Babs

"Hay! Something happening at Onice Farm today!

"Horse at Onice Farm oil on 11x14 board

http://onicehorsefarm.ca/OnIce_Horse_Farm/Welcome_to_OnIce.html

Headwaters Stable tour today!
https://www.facebook.com/OnIceHorseFarm

"Felicity & Davoo"

'Davoo & Felicity", oil on 8x8 panel

"Davoo" oil on 8x10 panel

These two paintings were a commission for a birthday gift for Felicity who has a passion for horses.
Her Mum was able to send photographs of her favourite ride, and I was able to paint two small pictures of one with Davoo & Felicity wearing her favourite hat and the second one of the horse close up.
Her birthday was in May I hope she had a pleasant surprise.

I got an email from Felicity a couple of days ago:
" For my birthday this year I received two oil painting portraits of my precious friend Davoo. 
Davoo was my first horse that I rescued when I was 15 years old. As a young teenager I struggled with socializing so my horse was my best friend. 
Davoo was taken from me far too early on New Year's Day 2015. Although I'm still heart broken from the tragedy I am thankful for the time that I had with him. 
Both portraits of Davoo are extraordinary. I can tell that they were created with great care and passion because they both capture every strand of his beauty. They will be cherished and hanging on the walls of our farm for the rest of my life.
Felicity"

That made my day!

Babs

"Dandelion a Welsh cross filly with Mom"

"Dandelion a Welsh cross filly with Mom", oil on 11 x1 14 board

A story about Dandelion .

A friend Marie Beard who owns horses posted a photo of Dandelion a Welsh cross filly with Mom on Face book a few weeks ago, I really liked the look of the photo and decided to paint it.

Dandelion was born at Foresthaven Farms Ltd Puslinch Ont they breed and sell Westphalian horses.
Marie luckily knows the owner and sent a message mentioning I had painted the picture and sent a copy of it to Melanie Michael to see of she liked the painting. Melanie was quite enthusiastic and really liked what she saw and was interested in purchasing, which really pleased me.

We have received an invitation to visit the Farm a great opportunity to deliver the painting and see the real deal! we are looking forward to meeting  Melanie Et al and enjoy seeing the horses, of course we will take the Camera!

It should be an interesting experience meeting another breed of horse and a day trip out!

Foresthaven Farm can be seen here: http://www.foresthavenfarm.com/

Babs

"Hay, What do you want?"

"Hay, what do you want?" Oil on 11x14 board

Dog Tales & Rescue Sanctuary.
They are located in King Township, a very interesting animal rescue place.

This latest painting of two retired horses attracted me, again  borrowing the picture from Barry Wallace our roving pro photographer of King Township. This year Barry has braved the exceptional  icy weather and taken some incredible photo's one of which has given me the opportunity to paint just one of them. He gives a story of our area in pictures from the past and what we were and what is happening for the future. We are fortunate to live in this area combining History and the future and some fun ones too.

I enjoyed the working on this painting (11 x 14) although it was a challenge
Thank you Barry for sharing.
Babs

Barry Wallace has a blog here:
http://cameraonking.blogspot.ca/

"I'm Watching You!"

"I'm Watching You!"" oil on 11x14 board

This Icelandic horse seems to be a little distracted so I managed to realize horses do seem to have some communication with each other, and figured out she obviously is talking to someone about the state of her mane and definitely needs a shampoo and a trim!

Icelandic horses are becoming very popular, their gate makes it easy to ride them and although small have a lot of stamina. This picture was taken at Onice Farm in Caledon it is surrounded  in lovely Countryside when the weather is cold they have a beautiful Arena where they give classes. In summer there is always a lot going on and worth a trip to meet the owners who will show you around and introduce you to these lovely horses up close, they own quite a large herd and know every one by name.

Owners Brian, Wendy ,Sydney ( she is the trainer) Horas are busy people but,they always have time to talk when it's about their passion for Icelandic horse.

This year is an exciting time because the PanAm games are going on close by at the Caledon Equine Centre.

Babs

OnIce Horse Farm

"Early Spring at Onice Farm"

"Early Spring at Onice Farm" oil on 11x14 board

The picture was taken early spring this year, it was a lovely mild sunny day at Onice Farm where these Icelandic horses live, they enjoy beautiful surroundings of hills and dales which the horses love to graze.

The grass had only just begun to sprout so the pickings were a bit lean, which they didn't seem to mind. 

Painting this picture I tried to give the grass and the Hills behind the feeling of warmth for the beginning of this year after such a long cold winter was behind us!

Babs

"Ready to Compete" stage 1

"Ready to Compete" oil on 36"x 24" canvas

Here is a challenge for me, 7 horses with riders all getting ready to compete, and on a 24" x 36" canvas!
This is the drawing layout, that in itself too ages, but now I'm ready to start painting in the tonal values in thin Burnt Sienna.
It's a complex composition I only hope it works, time & patience will tell!
The reference photo is one I took last September at the Caledon Equestrian park.
Wish me luck!
John

PS to see the picture better just click it to enlarge.

Casper the Donkey

Casper, oil on 11 x14 board

This is Casper the miniature donkey owned by Kai-Liis Mcinnes an animal lover and artist:

See her at http://www.kai-liis.com/

Kai-Liis says of Casper: "I bought him as a 4-year-old in 2006 - he was living with a potter.   He looks adorable, like Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh - so he came here, to be a companion to my llama, Everest.  But Everest didn't like him, so, as Birkir and Erling were here, Casper went in with them, and Erling acted as a protector for him for the first while."

Bikir and Erling are Icelandic horses that I painted for Kai-Liis recently.

Casper was another challenge he was actually running away from John when the photo was taken, he was rushing to join the two horses. His fur is in between winter and summer so a bit disheveled!

Babs

"Orgulhoso" has Passed

Orgulhoso with owner Frank Grelo 

We just received this sad news:

"Dear friends,

Unfortunately I have some sad news to share. Our Orgulhoso unexpectedly died this morning. I know how much of a shock this is as I haven't even processed it myself. He was being his usual, war horse self and my dad had to work him before passing him off to Taylor as he was particularly ornery. After a near attempt at showing the other horses in the arena he was still the boss of the barn (you can just guess what that looked like ;) he took a sudden fall with Taylor on his back and passed shortly after from, what my dad suspects, was a heart attack.

It is the end of another era losing Corsario and Orgulhoso so close together. Thankfully Orgulhoso has passed on his ever strong genetics to many of his offspring and we're lucky to have a few of them in reproductive standing. The loss is what we sign up for along with all the joy when we choose relationships with these majestic beasts. We will surely miss the brute.

Most tenderly,

Rosanna"

I had just finished a commissioned painting of him for a good friend Rachel Corbett. Orgulhoso was also the sire of two of the horses at Winsong farm: Zelador and Zeloso

Babs

Zeloso

Zelador

"December Dusk"

"December dusk" oil on 14 x 18 canvas

First painting I've done in ages, due to multiple repairs around the house, but hopefully I can get stuck in again.
This is from a photo taken just north of Nobleton  on the 15th line just east of the 8th, we had just left a clinic at Winsong Farm and this quiet view was on display.

Now ready to do a couple of commissions of a steam train and then a huge one of horses and riders, but the grass needs cutting first!

John

Orgulhoso

"Orgulhoso" Oil on 8x01canvas

Rachel Corbett, a rider, writes: "His name is Orgulhoso. In Portugese, it means "arrogant":
He is a 19 year old Lusitano stallion owned by Frank Grelo of Grelo farms. He is trained in the art of high school classical dressage. 
While being one of his master's best mounts,as well as being father to many a successful progeny, he also teaches riders from novice to expert how it's done. (Including me) 
He is fearless, high spirited, and mean as hell:) Frank calls him "the beast". He is one of my all time favorite horses in the world and has taught me many things. I hope he will be Nova's baby daddy next spring! "

He certainly gave me a good work out. Boy he has an attitude! I wanted to get that feeling of  his energy come through the picture. So I tried to catch the feeling of his pride and strength.

Babs

Grelo Farms can be seen here: http://www.grelofarms.com/

"Sydney & Tildra II"

"Sydney & Tildra II", oil on 11 x14 board

 This was a commission for Sydney Horas of Onice Horse Farm in Caledon., The horse is an Icelandic pony called Tildra II. Sydney wrote:

"Her name is Tildra II from OnIce Horse Farm she is an 11 year old 5 gaited Icelandic mare, that I have been riding for 6 years, she is very energetic and spunky with a big personality. The photo was taken last September at Flugnirkeppni, in Eagle Wisconsin, it was a great horse show with two judges from Iceland. It was Tildra's first show and she did well."

It was quite a challenge for me this painting on the one hand lots of detail on horse and rider and that contrasting with the "impressionistic" landscape, but I am happy with the result
Babs


OnIce Horse Farm can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/OnIceHorseFarm

"Erling, an Icelandic pony"

"Erling" oil on 11x14 board

Kai-Liis is an Artist with a love of animals special ones she is the proud owner of Erling and Birker Icelandic ponies and a donkey for company called Casper.  Her boys are housed at the moment in their winter quarters at Onice.

Erling and Birkir came from Iceland together at the ages of 5 &6, & they've always been at the same stable (owned by 2 artists!).  So now they're together at my farm, with mini-donkey Casper.  Birkir is the talkative one, when he sees me approaching with a carrot.  Erling will look, then stand back & wait.  He's a bit more feisty than Birkir, but they're both in their twenties now, but you wouldn't know it! Erling used to be shown & compete - & I gather he did pretty well. I have a couple of lovely photos of him tolting!"  Kai-Liis

Kai-Lee is an artist and her work can be seen here:http://www.kai-liis.com/

"Hope" the Spotted Draft Horse

"Hope" oil on 11x14 board

Her rider Marie Beard tells us " Hope or Faring Farm Hope...her registered name. Was born and bred in Indiana. and is owned by Donna  and Robert Stock of Alymer Ont. She had a foal by her side and they bought them both home. Then they discovered she was in fill again as the stud had gotten loose before they brought her home. 

Hope began to loose weight...they pulled her foal off of her early but she still continued to loose weight no matter all their efforts and endless food. 

It was then discovered she had a massive sinus infection. The only choice was to save her(4 years old) and risk looking her foal. 

She foaled 20 days early but the foal lived for a few hours and then passed. I don't think she was ever really gotten over that.

I came to ride her about 5 years ago...after the birth of my first son.  i was nervous and much confidence was gone. So Donna and Robert offered Hope up for me to ride. The instant trust and connection was obvious. And I was eager to show how wonderful she was and is to everyone..

So I could not wait to go to Canam with her! This mare owns a special piece of my heart, and she is now 16 years old!"

"Hope" is a "Spotted Draft Horse" and she was a joy to paint, she is a very special creature, and we enjoyed Marie and Hope performing at the Can Am.

Babs

Hope & Marie at the Can Am in Orangeville in March

"To the Square Dance"

"To the Square Dance" oil on 16x20 canvas

This was (and is) quite a challenge: leaves on the trees, leaves on the ground, three horses. three people, three faces, and Fall colours!

Took a while and most of the time I enjoyed it!

The original photo was taken at Winsong farm last fall, Bill and Winnie and the other rider are entering the arena for the Grande Finale of the Annual Autumn show, a wonderful afternoon.

The Farm can be seen here:
http://winsongfarm.ca

John