Trunk WIP The Sequel

The trunk is coming along. I feel like I'm getting somewhere with it finally. Inspiration has been a little tough the past week or so because I've been fighting off a cold that keeps showing up for little visits. With the rain and overcast skies I really feel like I just want to wrap myself up in a tacky little snuggie, drink a lot of pumpkin latte's and watch movies 24/7. I wish. As that's not happening anytime soon, I keep plugging away.

My colors still need a lot of work and I need to tweak some musculature but the basic bones look good at this point so I feel like progress has been made.

The white horse is quite hard to photograph and so he actually looks better in person which is a good thing I guess.

All in all, I think a few more days and I'll be near finished with the main part of this project. Up next will be the niche windows with a dressage saddle and bits and that (compared to the horsies) should be a piece O' cake.

At least I hope! Because if there's one thing I have learned from painting is that you can never be certain you won't run into issues.

A Little More Progress on My Trunk WIP

Well, kind of... Two steps forward, several steps back with the white horse. But the bay is coming along. Several hours in and I need a lot of coffee. An IV drip sounds about right. :-)

Can we start this week over please?

The days are going too fast lately. It's probably due to the fact that it's getting dark earlier again and the holidays are approaching, but I just feel like I never have enough time to get everything done. Maybe it's just old age...hmmmmmm. This week I ran around like crazy for my main client working on tons of new collateral material, writing press releases, putting finishing touches on some new ads and reading fine print on contracts that needed signing. I was also busy trying to figure out what to bake for a block party in my neighborhood in addition to continuing work on the custom trunk order below.

Phew. I'm tired just thinking about it.

And hey! It's Sunday night and it starts all over again tomorrow. Good times. Mondays are not my favorite but in preparation for this Monday, I made a trek to Starbucks today to pick up a lovely, non-fat pumpkin latte which should help tremendously when my alarm goes off tomorrow. Yum.

So, what else did I do this week? Halloween is coming up so it's that time of year to be an embarrassing dog owner (at least I own it) and I picked up a new costume for Twinkie. Twinkie will be handing out candy and keeping me company while dealing with the brats who come here every year. Last year she was a bumble bee. This year? A pea pod. Very cute right? Last Halloween our trick-or-treater from hell (and we always have one!) was dressed up like Sarah Palin -- red suit, spectacles, bun and all. That kid had attitude and wanted BIG candy bars. As if. This year I have a feeling we'll probably get a Christine O'Donnell dressed up like a witch or would that be a witch dressed up like Christine O'Donnell? Yeah, I'm not sure either. But it never fails to amuse me the costumes we get in Boise, ID. I just tell myself the good outweighs the insane...the good outweighs the insane.

Did I mention the good outweighs the insane?

And really, it does. I live in a very friendly neighborhood about two minutes from the Boise river with a 30-mile greenbelt. We have great restaurants here, museums, galleries, a ballet, the opera, a super art-house theater and enough trees to make you forget you're in the high desert. We also have what I would call kick-ass weather if you like four seasons and I truly do. I was born in Washington State but grew up in California and I didn't even realize how much I missed knowing when it was Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter till I moved here.

Ah, and winter here? When I tell old friends I live in Boise I generally get "Oh noez! It's like Alaska cold there!"

I don't argue with them, frankly. Let them think that...I know the truth.

Boise is like a sweet little secret and we already have too many Californians and Arizonians clogging up the roads with their type-A personality rages. No offense to my friends, of course. It's been named the #1 place to live for safety (both crime and natural disaster) for quite a few years now, actually. Of course I would pick this place! You're dealing with Ms. I'm afraid of my own shadow and Boise fit quite a few of my requirements. So sue me; I don't like tornadoes, earthquakes or serial killers.

The only issue besides the fact it's a red state (oh lawd...I could go on about that) would be if Yellowstone blows and I figure if that happens? We're all little dust bits anyway.

Yeah, I'm positive like that.

Anyway, as I mentioned above, I've been working on a custom trunk order. It's a nice, big blanket chest for a lovely lady who owns two large dressage horses (one a little larger than the other, mind you). When all is said and done, it will have ball feet, an antique look and window niches on the front, but here it is in raw form at the moment.

The top lid base color is on, the two horses have been positioned and I've gotten about two layers of acrylic on each of them at this point. Acrylics are extremely versatile and fast-drying and these horses will be built-up in very thin layers to help create more depth if I do my job right. This technique is commonly used to create more realistic images. I prefer oils on canvas but when I'm painting on furniture pieces or even wood signs, acrylics are my weapon of choice.

And my studio right now? It's a mess. I've managed to make it look smaller than it is, in fact. Seeing as it also doubles as my office, this is probably not a bad thing. I mean, I have computers and TV's and printers and faxes right along side easels and paint storage and a drafting table, etc. You get the picture. And from this angle you can't even see my closet which is presently not a closet at all but a temporary book case stuffed with the books I can fit in it.


I'm a mess. What can I say? Or perhaps I should just leave it there and quit while I'm ahead, yes?

Unbridled Collection - Digital Equine Art

Lexington, KY - Pictures and paintings of horses are hardly out of place in the Saddlebred Foyer on the lower level of Spindletop Hall, but on Saturday the lobby played host to an art exhibit that wouldn't have been possible a few years ago.

The unveiling of the Unbridled Collection, by equine enthusiast Elizabeth Shatner, showcased a new form that combines photography and computers to create digital art.

Read the entire article here...

Way Behind As Usual

Well, I'm way behind in updating this blog, of course. It wouldn't be me if I wasn't procrastinating (or just too damn busy). Just wanted to make a short post about my new little Etsy shop I finally got around to opening this week. I registered for it months ago but between real work and real life, it's just been sitting there empty until now. And don't even get me started on tying to define real life for you because I haven't had any coffee yet today.

But I digress. I've just uploaded a few things there for now so we'll see how it goes. I know it takes a bit for artists on Etsy to actually sell things or even get found in the search results so I'm not a great believer in this avenue yet but it beats piling everything up in my Explorer and driving to a horse show.

For someone like me who appreciates a nice warm studio and a great cup of caffeine to feel inspired at all, it may just work. We'll see.

First up, just some little signs I had lying around from old shows that never found homes. I also listed one "custom" sign to see how a listing like that might work. In my old age I kind of prefer painting things I want to paint so I'm not really sold on doing too many custom things at the moment. I still have a few custom orders to finish before I can say "No more," however, so time will tell.

Shamelessplug ahead...

Please visit and buy something you don't probably need because heck, you're keeping me in paints and giving me a respite from my real work for a couple of glorious hours a week. You should be Sainted for that alone.

My Shop on Etsy