Oil on linen – 30 x 34 – Collection of Lara Ames

Matoi was a multi-Champion Park and Driving Arabian stallion and sire of many other fine performance horses.  He was also much loved by the Ames family, particularly Lara who had ridden him to some of his wins.  When he passed at age 30, Dick Ames called to commission a portrait of his daughter on Matoi as a surprise gift for her at Christmas.  Starting with an excellent reference photo by photographer Howard Schatzberg, I made only a few small changes to make sure Matoi was presented in his best stride.  But the original photo had been taken outside in an arena with a high, solid wood fence.  I showed Dick several little oil sketches with different settings I imagined or adapted from photos of the Ames’ beautiful Minnesota river valley farm, Cedar Ridge Arabians.  The idea using the road between the ponds with Matoi reflected in the water was the easy winner.  Our next choice was to place the scene in autumn.  Most daring, I will freely admit, was my decision to move the sun from behind the figures around to the front.  I wanted more of Lara’s face in sunlight and more detail and shine on Matoi.  My thanks to Dick Ames for entrusting me to paint his daughter and this remarkable little stallion.

Oil on linen – 17 x 11 inches – Private Collection

Included in the 2016 American Academy of Equine Art’s spring invitational exhibition.

I hadn’t painted Saddlebreds in a long time so I attended a show at the Minnesota Fairgrounds to study them and take photographs.  I combined several of my references to create this proud head portrait.  Tip: if you want to make sure your values are conveying good form and light, take a photo of the painting and convert it to gray scale.  If it still works well minus all color, you’re good to go.

Oil on linen – 27 x 25 inches

Selected for the 2015/2016 Society of Animal Artists annual exhibition and national tour

The splashes of sunlight in the midst of deep shadow stopped me in my tracks as this Percheron was being bathed.  Then the sprayer mist caught the sun just coming over the building.  Magic!  I took photos for reference but I also stood and stared, trying to commit to memory the values and colors in front of me that I would need if I’d have any chance of recreating this scene.

Oil on linen – 24 x 16 inches

Winner of The Kasper Foundation Equine Art Award at the 2005 American Academy of Equine Art juried show.
Winner of Best In Show and the WRVAG Founder’s Award at the 2010 Wind River Valley Artist’s Guild 61st National Show.

This was the second equine painting I did after graduating from The Atelier.  It was almost startling to me how much more accomplished this painting felt than any equine piece I had done before I found the school.  Then the painting began to win awards which only confirmed I wasn’t imagining the improvement in my skills.  I can’t thank this classic instruction enough for how it transformed my ability to see Nature and then paint it.

Oil on linen – 28 x 32 inches

I attended a workshop on photographing horses.  At day’s end, as the light turned golden, our horse and rider models rode to a large pond.  Only Natalie took Daisy into the water.  After several trips that went out further and deeper, there was a big splash and her high laughter as the pony went galloping back to the barn alone.

Oil on linen – 9 x 15 inches – Private Collection

This bay Arabian mare was one of the Gamaar daughters owned by a couple I knew in Minnesota when I was first showing my art at local horse shows.  I was welcomed to their home frequently and over the years have used a number of the photos I took of their beautiful horses as references for pastels and oils.

Oil on mounted linen – 22 x 16 inches

Art Renewal Center, International 2010/2011 ARC Salon, Finalist: Animals

This painting was inspired by a slide I took many years ago at a friend’s farm.  I loved the gentle reach of the horse’s head.  I imagined the eyes were watching the house, hoping a favorite person might decide it was dinner time.  The painting felt flat at first but I followed the advice of an artist I admire: if things aren’t working, try waking up the painting with some splashes of color.  That worked and the painting sailed along to completion.