"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

Experimental Still Life Painting.

"Ready for a Bath"  oil on 16x20 board

Experimental still life painting.

This is a painting of part of our bathroom with a painting of John's painting in it too!

There was a lot of reflections from the electric light which changed the colour of the walls from grey to bluish / orangey pink and made the draped towel and bathtub a mass or mess of colour!

It was fun to do. back to horses soon!

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/