I'm back.   worked on Fizz a while last night, and a bit today.  plan to have him finished tonight.  Its been raining a lot, so those are great days to spend at the easel!  

I have been informed by owner J. that Fizz is most certainly a He. not the she I referred to prior, sorry Fizz!    I thank you J for allowing use of your photo.   If anyone is wondering, you must ask, its wrong to just use a photo without the taker's permission.   thou shalt not steal and all that.

here's where Fizz is now.  I think I will leave the halter a bit less done, so the focus is on that gorgeous face!   I like leaving some of the sketchiness.  

Horse Portrait

I LOVE horses.  That’s not news, its been this way since I peed my first saddle (sorry mom).   So its only fitting my first art post to my freshly formed blog would be of a horse.   This horse is named Fizz, and is an endurance horse.   I am very interested in that sport and have joined a FB group to learn more, and this is where I found Fizz.   The photo was kindly loaned to me by the owner, who used it as her avatar. 
Why I wanted to paint this is easy—look at that expression!  And the light on her tousled mane, her deep liquid eye, and I like the endurance tack she’s wearing. 
I started this on a piece of Art Spectrum light blue paper.   sketched it out with vine charcoal, and proceeded with all brands of pastels.   its not a big piece, only 9.5x11.   But I’ve been away from my easel for a while and thought it would make a fine warm-up.   

And we’re off……

Hello peoples.  My first ever blog post.  hmm.  there is lots of white space here to fill!   I plan to post at least once a week, mostly about art, but some about my days on my little ‘farmette’.   My family is myself, my husband “Stableboy” and our daughter.   Stableboy and I have been married for over 20 years, grew up in eastern Iowa and moved here around 18 years ago.   We have 8 horses, 3 of which are my own, I have also 5 goats, consisting of 2 bucks, 2 milkers and one antique doe named ethel.   4 dogs, 2 walker hounds Stableboy and daughter hunt coons with, 2 yard pets.   A small flock of layer hens that keep us and others in fresh eggs. 
I have done a ton of paying jobs in my years, but now stay at home, tending my various ‘flocks’, and doing ART.  Pastel art to be specific.   I like to ride my horse to lovely places, that are not easy to get to as they are the prettiest—not being all messed up by humans.   I like plein air, and going on paint outs with other artists.   I also like teaching about pastel.    So please join me, share me, follow me as I show you my life, my art and my critters!