More inspiration from our walks

"Casting Shadows", 5 x 7, oil on panel

What is it about long shadows that is so intriguing? I guess that it is because it puts more drama into sunlight. It breaks up the visual space into so many cool abstract pieces. I am working on several 

5 x 7s gearing up for summer shows. Wouldn't it be nice if I just had to keep doing loads of them because they were sold. That would be a nice problem to have.

"Red Weeds", 5 x 7, oil on panel

Another one with those rickety fences that are so prevalent here and that have such character. I have another 5 x 7 in the works with one of them in it. You will see it soon.

More Gypsy Horses

"Nibbling", 9 x 12, oil on linen panel

(C) Eileen McConkey 2012 

Once again this one shows how much I am drawn to the dramatic light and the close-up and different poses. I think I do the close-ups because I really would love to be eating that closely with them. I want to be touching them so I guess that I want others to as well. It helps me to have a more complete experience of them.

"In Mama's Shadow", 9 x 12, oil on linen panel

(C) Eileen McConkey 2012 

This one is not a close-up but I was really struck by the way the sunlight seemed to pervade all parts of the scene - even into the shadows, thus the lack of stark contrasts. I just don't see how gypsy horses and highland cattle can see with all of that hair in their faces.

I have joined an on-line group on Facebook called Equine Artists. There are some pretty amazing artists there - some mediocre ones too I must say. I am always pushing to be above the mediocre ones. Sometimes I am better and sometimes I wonder. Such is the psychological life of an artist - at least me as an artist.

Sheep and Mountains. Trees and Shadows

A Walk in the Mountains of Peru

9 x 12, oil on panel

My daughter's friend Anna does beautiful things in the world for other people.  Along the way she traveled to Peru and allowed me to use a photo of this scene as reference for this painting. I very seldom use other peoples photos but I am happy to have used this one. Once again, there is something about butts that is fascinating to me. This is actually a painting that I sanded down and started again. I don't recall if I had posted the first version but if I did, and you want to bother finding it in the old posts, you will see that there is quite an improvement.

Late Afternoon Shadows

100cm x 100 cm,  oil on canvas

I started painting a non-objective abstract here. I haven't done an abstract in maybe a year or so and I wanted to dive back into that pool. But the call of the oils and the call of the representational subject matter was too strong so it came down to this. I must say, it did feel really good to be working big again. Too bad my storage limitations does not allow for lots of the bigger ones. I suppose I could sell more of them and then I would not have to worry about storage.

There are some wonderful things about England that I love, and the paths is one of them. Plugging in my love for the dramatic and there you have it. 

Holy Cow! It's growing.

The hits are growing every day for my video. It is fun to keep track of it. 

In the meantime I just keep painting and trying to get the word out. Getting a few "Shares" in FACEBOOK that help. I'll be looking for music to go with horses soon if anyone has any suggestions...

Holy Cow! It's Here! .... on YouTube!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xdZryp31V4&context=C3ee85f6ADOEgsToPDskKalRIjsZW3oyyBEyAbSBAU

Exclusively on my Blog (for now).       My first attempt at a video.
 Lots of work. Lots of fun. It's a good thing that I really like the song cause I sure did hear it enough times as I was editing this.  I already have ideas on how to do the next one better. Enjoy. 

Coming soon to a computer near you - Holy Cow!

Coming soon - HOLY COW! The video.

I have spent a good part of the last 5 days working on my first video. I got on a free video making program called Videopad. It has taken 5 days so far, partly because I have never done this before and partly because of some of the glitches in the program (at least the free version of it). I have a new respect for film editors that's for sure.

So hopefully some time today or tomorrow I will be posting the results. Let me know if there are problems  with opening it.

If this one is successful then be watching for more themed videos in my video portfolio. And of course, if it works please pass it on.    :-)

Struck by Sunlight

Struck by Sunlight

8 x 10, oil on linen panel

This one was more of a struggle than I thought it would be after my other painting with a sunlit fence just fell into place. I plan on doing a few more of this kind of fence hit by sunlight. They are all over the place in my area of England and have such cool character, especially when they have some age on them.

And, as usual, the painting is much better than the photo.