Show Jumper Completed!

I have just about completed this painting. I have a couple of more things I need to tweak and then it goes off to be framed. I think I may display this up at HITS for the Art Gala next week. I am happy with how this came out. I wanted to keep it loose and very colorful. This is acrylic, 24 x 20 on canvas and titled Flying Colors. Comments always welcome. I have a studio sale on Ebay this week. I will be listing a few prints. So be sure to check them out!
Ebay sale

Showjumping WIP 3

Just a quick update as I am feeling under the weather today.
I worked on this a bit on the weekend so here is the next installment. Coming close to completion. I think I will title this one Flying Colors. I am going to keep it loose and colorful. Suggestions for titles and comments aways welcome! Click on on the image to enlarge. Have a great day!

Showjumping WIP (Work In Progress)

I have been working on this painting for the HITS Art Gala and Exhibitor Mixer in Saugerties,NY. The opening reception is on July 24 and I am thriled tohave been invited to participate.
The painting measures 24 x 20 and is acrylic on canvas. I am trying to keep this loose and colorful. I have about an hour and half into this and I am hoping to have it completed by the end of the weekend. I am really starting to enjoy working large like! I have been working hard at stretching myself as an artist and move away from my previous style of hyper-realism. This style suits me much better. Feel free to comment! Click on images for a larger view..

Watercolor WIP

WIP #2 (WIP-Work In Progress) of The Training Scale series. I managed to get the whole painting in this time! I am happy with how this coming along. I should have it completed by this weekend.

Arte y Pico Award

I was so thrilled to find out that Arlene at the wonderful horse blog Grey Horse Matters has found my site worthy of the Arte y Pico Award! Thank you so much!

I am passing this along to the following five blogs that I try and read everyday.I find them inspiring and I really appreciate that these folks take the time to share their knowledge and passions! Thanks!


The blog of artist Marcia Robinet is one of my favorites. She shares so many tips of the trade and her artwork is exquisite!
The Extraordinary Pencil

I love the artwork of artist Linda Shantz. She really captures the essence of the horse.. Wonderful inspiring blog!
Linda Shantz Blogspot

Stacey Kimmel-Smith works tirelessly at coming up with wonderful, informative posts at her blog devoted to my most favorite subject... The Horse.
Behind the Bit

The blog of artist Larry Seiler is another one of my favorites. He is a wonderful painter and teacher. I have been inspired by him to paint looser and ,well, to just paint!!
Painting From Life

This one is the blog of London artist Tina Mammoser and it is just brilliant!
The Cycling Artist

The designer of this award has asked that the following be passed along with it:

The origin of the Arte y Pico Award: "This prize has arisen from the daily visits that I dedicate to many blogs which nourish me and enrich me with creativity. In them, I see dedication, creativity, care, comradeship, but mainly, ART, much art. I want to share this prize with all those bloggers that entertain me day to day and to share this prize with those who enrich me every day. Doubtlessly, there are many and it will be hard to pick just a few. The people I will name today deserve this prize, as do the very long serious list of bloggers I also enjoy to read. But I will name the first 10 and leave the rest of the work to all the bloggers that visit other's blogs and are nourished by them."

Here are the rules, if you decide to pass the award further to remarkable blogs in blogosphere worth to mention:

The rules:
1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award through creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogger community, no matter of language.
2. Each award should have the name of the author with a link to their blog.
3. Award winners have to post the award with the name and link to the blog of the person who gave them the award.
4. Please include a link to the “Arte Y Pico” blog so that everyone will know where the award came from.
5. Show these rules.

Thank you!!

Le Cadeau Du Cheval Panel Finished!

I am finally done. This panel has been a real challenge for me. But I am finished and it will be sent of to Canada today. The mural is looking awesome. If you haven't checked it out recently go have a peek! This is panel 156. The title is.. Shall We Dance?
The mural will be officially unveiled at Spruce Maadows in September.

Le Cadeau du Cheval (WIP)

I have officially jumped in with both feet and have some nice progress with this painting. I hope to have it completed in a couple of days. My inspiration came from the title of this mural project The Horse Gift. I am dedicating this to my ex-dressage partner, G who was "my gift". He taught me so much ...to listen to the horse and to trust myself. He is a true gift. We had a very special relationship.

The painting is still in that ugly stage but you have the basic idea. Be sure to check out the progress of the mural. Panels are being o=posted to the grid and it is very exciting to see how it coming along!
Le Cadeau du Cheval Mural

Le Cadeau Du Cheval

I have been working on my panel for Le Cadeau Du Cheval.I a trying to avoid at other artist's interpretations of these purple panels so that I am not influenced but the work of others. I hear there are LOTS of these purple panels and I am really looking forward to seeing them! But first I need to finish mine. The first image is of the panel I received and the second is the sketch of the horse I will be painting. My ex Dressage partner ,G, is my influence for this painting. I have already transferred my sketch to the panel but I haven't taken a photo of it yet. I have a few more hours to go on this so I will add WIPS over the next few days.

Nifty marketing ideas!

Nicker Stickers! I was surfing around the web few weeks ago and came across a store called Nicker Stickers that sells these really cool vinyl animal decals.. Now I am always brainstorming new ways to market my art and I saw that they can be customized. I thought this would be great on the back window of my car with my business name and website address. I could have some free advertising. I live in a REALLY horsey area so I figured I might as well put my car to work for me!! I ordered my decal and the first day..I had someone inquire about my art. They saw the decal on my car and they caught up with me in the Post Office and it resulted in the sale of 2 prints! The decal is done really well and it can be customized for a horse or dog business. Anine Colaire is the owner/artist and she does a wonderful job. Highly recommended! So without further ado here is a photo of my Nicker Sticker Decal!!


I would love to here of novel marketing ideas from you guys! Any unique ideas that have resulted in sales and exposures! Please, comment and share!

Dressage Watercolor WIP

I have been feeling compelled to do Dressage paintings these days. Here is a WIP (Work In Progress) of a horse in half pass. It is part of my Training Scale series. This one I think will be titled Supple. I have completed Connection and Collection. Next will be Forward and Straight. Voila the training scale! You Dressage people know what I am talking about. I naturally did this one so that is slightly too large for my scanner! I have his ears and tail cut off and a few inches from the bottom. But you can get the idea. I plan to finish this tonight. So will post the final this weekend.

And Now Art and Horse News Posts!

Due to the overwhelming response to my newsletter (which contains art and horse related material and is available via snail mail or by email) I have decided to incorporate both horse and art related articles and links of interest here in my blog! If you would like to subscribe to my email newsletter go to Subscribe
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As so many of you horse people may know there have been an alarming amount of horse fatalities in the sport of eventing lately. Most of them involving rotational falls. This article written by world class rider Jimmy Wofford is one of the BEST articles I have read on the subject.. I encourage everyone to read this thoughful and well written article. Jim Wofford:Eventing Lives In The Balance

Le Cadeau Du Cheval

I am very pleased to announce that I have been invited to participate in a mural project called Le Cadeau Du Cheval (The Horse Gift). The unveilinbg is schedule for the fall of 2008 at Spruce Meadows. You can watch the mural coming together as panel are completed here ... Mural Grid.
For more info on this very exciting project go to Le Cadeau Du Cheval .
I will be posting updates as things begin to unfold!

Painting Sketch

My latest painting sketch for my Daily Ridng Essential Collection. This is a quick acrylic sketch of my favorite leather backed German body brush. The horse LOVE this brush. M graham acrylics on canvas panel. Measures 6 x 9.
Available for purchase $35 includes shipping!
To purchase

Gypsy Vanner Update

I am calling this one done! I need do a little more detail work around the eye and then I will varnish. I am including some close-up photos so you can see the brushwork on the legs.
This is measures 24 X 24, acrylic on triple primed hardboard.You can click on the images to see enlarged views. Available for sale.

Mare and Foal WIP (Work in Progress)

I have been working quite a bit in the studio lately. I found myself tending to the business side of being an artist and neglecting my painting time!

I broke out the watercolors and started laying down the initial glazes of this painting of a mare and foal. My reference picture has brilliant azaleas behind the horses and it is such a feast for the eyes in color. The paper is a bit large for my scanner so I apologize for the unintentional crop job! This measures 11 x 14 , M Graham Watercolors (my favorite) n 140 lb Arches Hot Press paper. As always comments welcome!

Gypsy Vanner ~ Almost Finished!

I am out of the ugly stage with this painting.It is taking me a bit longer than usual to get this done because I needed to get my Glory of Horses panel done. I spent a few hours on this today and now I have reached the point where I look at it for a few days and see where it needs to be tweaked. I do apologize for the awful photo! The flash has washed out the color in the mane and tail. Comments welcome!

Gypsy Vanner

I am having fun with this one. Changing things around playing with the background and sky. I hope to have this completed this evening. I do apologize for the glare!

Glory of Horses Panel

It was quite scary laying down the paint and trying not to obscure the main lines and colors that are part of the original panel. I painted very loosely. If you scroll down you can see the panel that I had to work with. I am pretty happy with this. I will look at it for the next couple of days to see if there is anything that needs tweaking. Then it will be varnished and off it goes. I was very nervous starting this one! But doing the happy dance now that it is just about completed!

Ready to paint the panel!

I have "found" the painting in my Glory of Horses panel. I saw it as soon as I opened up the box. Here I have lightly sketched it onto the panel. Hopefully, you can see it.. You can click on the image to enlarge! I plan to use the same palette that I used in the painting Baroque 3. The official unveiling for this incredible project at the Midwest Horse Fair, in Madison, Wisconsin April 18-20, 2008. The "Glory Of Horses" will be then go on display at the Kentucky Derby Museum, at Churchill Downs from about April 24 through about May 11, 2008!! The "Kentucky Derby" is May 3, 2008! Updates for the world tour will be announced. To see a sample of a similar mural check these out Murals.

Gypsy Vanner Coming along!

Here is the latest installment of the Gypsy Vanner Horse. I am working at reinstating a moody feel to the piece. I have laid in a darks for the stormy sky and needed to wait for it to dry. I work with M Graham acrylics and they really handle a lot like oils with a very long open time so when I am glazing I need to let them dry between layers. I really LOVE these paints! You can click on the image for am enlarged view!