Art Can Be Fleeting

I am home this week catching up on orders from the events and private sessions I have been photographing.
I had to share this image, taken at the ISR/OLD Inspection last week.  Sepia toned, but not changed in photoshop.  Nice of him to put some art on the wall, however fleeting. 

Back to processing and delivering photo orders....

Art for the Holidays

 The December 2010 issue of Flying Changes magazine is on its way to subscribers and features one of my latest artworks on the cover entitled Danza de la Luz.
I also once again am privileged to have been included in their annual Equine Artists "Inspired Gifts" article.

   This image is just one of several recent works that I have made available for purchase on mugs, cards and prints at my gallery website.  Check them out for holiday gift giving or if you just want to treat yourself.  I have revamped my gifts section and added several new image offerings with a mind to gift giving. Special requests are also available. If there is something you have been hoping to find, drop me a line, I might have it in my archives consisting of 10's of thousands of images.    Orders can be accepted until December 14th to arrive in time for Christmas.

I also have this cover image available printed on aluminum metal plate, with a float mount for hanging.  Really pretty!  Contact me directly if you would like to purchase this artwork on metal. I have one in my possession that can be sent right out.

Editorial Work  My photos of some of our Pacific Northwest horses and riders appeared in the December issue of Practical Horseman.  They illustrated the article "Time for a Change" discussing the new USEF dressage tests.  Those with sharp eyes will be able to see my photo credit on the first page for the images throughout the article.  It was nice to have such good examples to submit for this article.   If you don't subscribe, pick it up at your local tack shop.  And speaking of Practical Horseman, one of my images will grace the cover of the January 2011 edition.  See if you can recognize who it is!

Bringing Light to the Dark
  Due to the rainy gray weather, and in the spirit of bringing light into our darkest days, I have been doing some indoor portraiture lately with the aid of some basic lighting.    As a huge fan of natural light, I have long shied away from flash and studio lighting. Oh so scary!  But I am finally having some fun with creating my own light and breaking lots of basic lighting rules along the way.  These images are part of some experimental sessions.  Just seeing what can be done, especially with black horses.  I am hoping to get back to my Elder Horse Project soon, rain or shine.
On the right is Marla Eden's Audi taken at Narnia Farms.  We photographed on a gray day combining available outdoor light with a hand held light that I had brought.  The idea was to set the horse against a dark background and "pop" her out with outside light.
Below on the left is Jessica Rattner's Partouche taken recently at Devonwood on a very chilly day in the high 20's with snow on the ground so we darkened the barn and I used some new lighting that I had brought as our primary light.  This is a much warmer light, belying the fact that it was sooo chilly!
  I want to thank Stacie Burgess for being my lovely lighting assistant on these sessions.  A big help!  Best wishes to all for a happy warm and safe holiday season.    
I hope you enjoy my new holiday gift giving galleries.

Art, Angels, Elvis and BBQ!

 

Mid October found me in Louisville Kentucky driving with fellow photographer Marie Cobb to Jonesboro Arkansas to visit our friend Kim Vickrey.  I have never driven so many miles with the landscape changing so very little. Miles and miles of cotton fields and other agriculture, deciduous forests and of course a few kudzu covered wonderlands. 

We wanted to time our visit to coincide with Kim's art opening of images from the trip to Spain that we all had shared last Spring.  Kim outdid her self with a beautiful show, many images printed on metallic papers, topped off by a book that she had designed featuring the images, all printed on a gorgeous metallic pearl paper.  Yummy.  Art openings are fun. Wandering among the art on the wall, glass of wine in hand... wait, back up.  One thing we discovered on this, my first visit to the south, was that we were in a dry county.  Punch anyone? It was such a dry county that we had to have our punch and snacks out in the lobby.  We got along just fine, getting our buzzz from the images instead while recalling our time in Spain through Kim's images and marveling at what she had done with them.

 

 The following days were filled with a trip to Graceland in Memphis Tennessee (not really an Elvis fan shh! but I felt I just HAD to see it) besides, Kim had promised that trip about 7 years ago when we had first met at a workshop in Arizona. It really wasn't as over the top and tacky as I had envisioned.  I wonder why I thought it would be.  Perhaps all those velvet Elvis paintings I had seen at garage sales through the years.  And no, not a single velvet painting on the premises.  But there sure were some neat cars.    Our visit to Graceland was followed by dinner at a great BBQ place in downtown Memphis.  Bliss!  Then towards the weekend,  Kim stuffed her Expedtion to the roof with all kinds of  props, bought a Fog Machine and gathered some models for some fun at a couple of beautiful  nearby properties with very generous hosts.

 

It is amazing what a fog machine can do to the light conditions during a colorful sunset. The models wait for some direction from off to the right while I, seeing the light just right and knowing the fog would soon disappear, I just couldn't let it slip by.  Always chasing the light. 

Announcing a Partnership

with Noble Horse Gallery in downtown Seattle. (in Pioneer Square)
The gallery will unveil an exclusive collection of my images in March 2009.

This is an exciting opportunity and one that helps to spur my creativity even further. Noble Horse Gallery is a beautiful store and gallery with a wonderful inventory of art, tack, clothing and horse themed items and gifts. When you are in Seattle be sure to pay them a visit.

Moving On Into Fall

One of my favorite candid shots from the Arabians in Motion Sport Horse Classic


Long time no update. I think that is a universal sentence on millions of blogs around the world. I've just been that busy. I have been out photographing all summer and then everything comes home to roost in the form of work at the computer on into Fall and the holidays. At this time, there needs to be 2 of me to handle the volume in a timely manner. I had some great people help me this summer at the shows, but once it is all over, its me and me only that can do the rest of the work.
I enjoy my time out and about photographing furiously and then look forward to the time at home albeit a bit too much time at the computer but I can't complain as I get to be at home.

Next month I will be heading down to San Diego for some photo shoots and some time with my Vision 18 Collective sistahs. Right about then, I will be glad for some sun.

I am almost eager for the rains to come and winter to settle in as I have some art projects in the works that are a departure from my usual. I'll be working with my images in multi-mediums. Wood, canvas, paints, gems... and whatever else I can scrounge up that 'feels right'.

Enjoy the Fall!