The clean Art Studio fantasy

Creating my artwork in all its various forms from portraits to abstracts to silk art to stick horses (a volunteer fundraiser project) has left little room for putting things back where they belong and on my list today are the deceptively simple words "clean studio."

It sounds so simple to just put back the art supplies, yet in the midst of creating and running out the door, everything gets moved around, set down randomly, put in and out of car, not empty trash cans, clean up messes, and not return items to their designated spots....multiply that by the 27 straight days of shows that we have also been doing and those two little words become a HUGE item on a long list! So crossing off just this one thing on my list can be an all day event and I have just two days before the shows begin again!

Some of the silk work and the volunteer stick horses (amazingly time consuming!)

Some images of just a few of October's artwork!

Both Steve and I paint a lot at the shows while we are there but once back at the studio, I personally need an uncluttered space to recharge and be productive! 


So without any more procrastination....off the computer and into the studio to tackle...well at least my half!

Maybe I'll post a photo of "after!"

A girl and her mule

I loved meeting this family in October and photographing their daughter and her beautiful mule, Fancy! From that came my 24" x 26" oil portrait with their barn in the background. I didn't need to go to Florida in order to photograph their barn; her mom had an image on her cell phone. (ah, modern day wonders!) An earlier post had the painting in progress but now you can see the finished oil!

Morgan was showing Fancy and there is one thing about competitive showmanship classes-in that world there is just one correct way to present your animal!

Morgan with her mule, Fancy. 24" x 36" oil portrait

The Siamese cat!

One thing about animal portraiture and that is the wonderful array of both animals and their people that I get to know! Of course I often create artwork without meeting the animals (through their owner's photos), but listening to how the owners describe and talk about their pets is the key to painting them accurately!

It's not just the image. It's what is in the owner's heart that makes the difference between artists striving for photographic likenesses or photography vs "painting with your heart." There is a big difference in the final result!

I am a Siamese cat. Obey me!

When I posted this lovely Siamese, Cleo, on Facebook, I said "Dogs will do anything for their humans". And then I added "Owners will do anything for their cats!" In this 14 x 18 pastel that I created with PanPastels, I worked from the owner's photographs-not great ones-but I could compensate from her description of Cleo...her 14 year old Siamese cat.....no let me re-phrase that....her 14 year old "boy", her pride and joy, her rock, her friend, her companion.....her comfort. 
And knowing what an animal means to it's human and loving them yourself is what makes the final portrait meaningful! Or as my client said:

"Can you hear me screaming joy??? I love it, it's my boy :) !!! Sitting up so proud and proper. It's wonderful Theresa

Yippee!!!! (biggest smile i've smiled in a long time and just what I needed this week! Woo hoo!!

thank you so much!"

When the abstract part of your mind takes over

There are times when randomness and spontaneity take over and I  just do what I did as a kid-draw horses abstractly and with nothing but my mind guiding my hand and color decisions......LOL-I am not really an abstract person-very grounded- but when the abstract does pop out, it's fun to just go with the flow!
So enjoy these recent creations on canvas!

Sky Herd 11 x 14 mixed media on canvas

"Sun Trails" 11 x 14 mixed media on canvas

"Duplication" 16 x 20 mixed media on canvas

Working on portraits at the Horse Show

Clients and their horses are a big part of what we do! So January and February are those "getting back in the saddle" shows after the holidays. When it comes to some of our clients, this is the start of the Florida shows down in Ocala and Wellington. I have traveled to them all!  This image shows our art booth at the current show going on in Raleigh, NC. It's a great way to get work done all the while enjoying the show, greeting our clients and friends and in general, doing our job!

Come by and watch me work Jan 26-29!

"I met a man Bo Jangles and he'd dance for you...."

When my client brought me an old, out of focus photo for this little pastel commission, all I could think of was that line from the "Mr Bo Jangles" song that said something like "his dog up and died....after twenty years he still grieves..."

It simply goes to prove that there is no time limit on the loss of a beloved pet.

I am honored to have been the artist to bring this little guy back into focus for his owner!

LOL but now I cannot get that song out of my head!