Painting Wild Horses from Life, one artists Journey.

Has there ever been something in your life you felt so passionate about that you just had to do it? That is how I feel about painting Wild Horses from life. There are so many people, some have experienced Wild Horses, some have not, (but feel a desire to see them), and some are not "horse people" but enjoy the beauty and symbolism of the wild horse. My journey to paint what I feel and experience is what I want to express in these paintings. That expression is complete when it connects to the heart of the viewer.

I have launched at Kickstarter fund raising event to help me get to as many Herd Management Areas as I can this summer. Each person backing me, $1.00 or $1,000 will be updated with exclusive stories and photos. Backers are also be rewarded with original art, you choose the amount and receive that award. The goal is to allow you to experience this with me, and have a piece of art too! This project is an "all or nothing" in funding, so I must meet or exceed my goal by May 1st.
So please watch my video and get a sneak peek of wild horses, and be a backer!
Please, tell a friend too!

Western Artists of America Exhibit and Sale

The Sand Wash Basin wild horses were well represented with my work.

The Western Artists of America 8th Annual Exhibit and Sale was defined by a resounding expression by those that walked through it with this statement, "The work this year is wonderful"!. I heard statements like that through out the weekend. It was an honor to be part of the show. The Pearce Museum did a great job hanging the exhibit and the expanded facilities were perfect to accommodate the number of guests.
Sheila Cottrell gave an excellent presentation on James Reynolds work. It was an insightful look into the approach and methods of an artist I highly admire. Jack Muir gave a lecture of Bronze Sculpture that followed a piece from beginning through the end at the foundry.
The reception and sale was Friday evening , with not only pieces selling then, but also before the show opened. The exhibit will hang for six weeks and the work is available for sale through out that time.
Saturday morning was an opportunity for guests to meet and greet the artists at the Autograph Party. Show catalogs and posters were signed by all the artists who attended. That afternoon, Roger Kull gave an excellent demonstration on sculpting leather. That evening was the awards dinner with presentations by Dr. Glen Cochran.
This was such a busy weekend that was full of opportunity to meet and join with other artists to enjoy the result of years of work. It was great for me to see old friends and to meet new ones as well!

Horses in Art Magazine Article

The Spring issue of Horses in Art magazine features my article, "A Wild Horse Painting Adventure". The article is about my trip last summer to paint wild horses from life at the Sand Wash Basin in Northwest Colorado. It also explains the process I go through when painting. It is an honor for me to be included in this issue and have the opportunity to share my experience with those that love horses and art!
For subscription information, please contact Horses in Art magazine.

Rod Zullo Sculpture workshop at Scottsdale Artists School

Rod Zullo taught a workshop on Sculpting the Horse from Life this week at the Scottsdale Artists School. I had the opportunity to help with taking care of the equine model. The horse (Huck), was generously provided by Papago Riding Stable in Tempe, and he was relaxed and friendly. I was able to assist as the Wrangler last year for the workshop, and was very inspired by the work the students did and Rod's demonstrations and instruction.
Rod's approach to building the armature and starting the sculpture is very quick and easy. This allows for easy changes in the positioning of the armature as the clay is put on. This ability to make adjustments helps in composition and accurate anatomy as well. Careful observation of the horse is essential through out the process. One of the things Rod stressed, is the importance of spending time looking at your subject. It will really pay off with confidence in the sculpture.
This year, I was able to sculpt! This is my first attempt at sculpting and I am now a 3-D convert. I worked on this for two days, and decided to leave not to over work it. I can't wait to work on more!
Rod will be teaching an Animal Sculpting workshop at Scottsdale Artist School Dec. 2012, and another Horse Sculpting Workshop in March 2013. Please call 800-333-5707 to register or for more information.

Painting Workshop with Skip Whitcomb

Last week I attended a outdoor painting workshop with Skip Whitcomb put on by the Scottsdale Artists School. The class was in Tucson and we painted at Catalina State Park,Tohono Chul Park, Sabino Canyon and the Pima Air and Space Museum.
The week long focus was on having a strong design of shapes and value ranges. We also worked on 3, 4, and 5 color pallets to increase color harmony. Every painting was started with doing three value sketches focusing on different composition designs. The first day we worked with just black and white paint to really be mindful of the big shapes. This was not as easy as it may sound, and is something I will continue to work on. Skip really wanted us to get a rich statement of values, and this is so striking in those compositions.
I had a great week, really enjoyed the other members in the class and will continue to work on what I learned for years!