Little Cowgirl WIP

WIP - Something different for me ... a human! 

I've been enjoying painting horses lately. So far my horses have been riderless. 

I'm currently working on this painting of a young cowgirl and want to call it something like "Waiting for Pa", showing a young girl eager to get started herding cattle (there will be cattle in the distance) and waiting impatiently for her dad to arrive. The setting is maybe eastern Wyoming or Colorado or something like that. Not being a cowgirl myself, or from that region, I'm trying to decide what term to use for "dad" here. What would be the best term for "dad" in that region? Would a little cowgirl call her dad "pa" or "pop" or "pappy" or "dad" or "father" or .... something else there? 

Black Bear Falls

I've been working on this waterfall painting for ages it seems. First it was just a waterfall:

 
Then, as some of you know, I digitally added some mule deer from a separate painting:

This didn't seem quite right. This scene just screamed for a bear by the stream instead. So I decided to add a black bear. This time it was actually painted into the scene rather than added digitally:

Much better. But something's missing. It still needed more. I decided "mama bear" there needed a baby. I know, I know! You do not see small baby bears in an autumn scene like this but I decided to take a little artistic license here. Composition-wise, the mother bear just seemed to need something in front of it. There seemed to be a sort of 'hole' in the center there. A baby bear would fit that spot just fine. Besides, who doesn't love a a baby bear? :)

But, that wasn't all. In the spirit of James Meger, I decided to add some less noticeable elements to the scene. Besides the mother black bear and her baby, there are five other critters in the scene. The blue jay to the left is one obvious one. Can you find the rest, the frog, turtle, squirrel, and woodpecker?

Miniature Painting - No 40 - Snow Fox

When I first started painting this little fox I intended to just have a background of forest greens and browns. But, because of his fluffy coat, and that he looks like he's trying to warm his feet with his tail, it just seemed to call for a wintery background. So, despite the fact that it's currently June and nearly summer, I went ahead and painted him in the snow, little bits of falling snowflakes accumulating on his nose, ears, and coat.

 

7"x5" oil on multimedia board

Update: SOLD

Other artwork available here.

Dressage Horse Portrait

I've been distracted from my 60 paintings project by horses. Now that spring is rolling into summer, the local Hollywood Hill Saddle Club has been hosting gaming events, dressage competitions, and English and Western shows. I've been busy getting out there taking lots of photos to use for paintings. Here's a painting I did from a photo I took at a recent dressage show.

8"x10" oil on Gessobord

I've been enjoying painting horses lately, especially dark horses, because of the shine on their coats. It's challenging but also fun, and very satisfying when I get it right. And I just love the looks of that sheen!

Notice I changed the copyright/website info. ForestStudios.com is a site I've had since the days of the dinosaurs. But several years ago I got another domain name that was more descriptive of my main focus, wildlife art. While we could argue that horses can be considered wildlife if they are wild horses, the horses I have been painting lately, with bit and bridle, are obviously not wild. So I decided to move my equine-themed art over to my old ForestStudios.com site and keep my ForestWildlifeArt.com site more focused on wildlife. What do you think? Should I keep them together and just add a "horses" category to my "wildlife" art? Or should I keep them separate?

Friesian Horse Painting Finished

I finished up my painting of the Friesian horse with the wild wavy mane. This is the biggest painting I've done in a long while. With that thick mane he almost looks like a lion king! Such royalty deserves a large canvas. :)

 

20"x24" oil on canvas

This painting is on display and available for purchase at the Parklane Gallery in Kirkland, WA. It will remain on display there through June 30 unless someone buys it before then. So if you are in the area and would like to see it in person drop in sooner rather than later when it might be gone.

Miniature Painting - No 39 - Great Blue Heron

Onward with the miniature paintings project! Today's feature is of a great blue heron. I took the photo reference for this painting at Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland, WA. If you've never watched these birds hunt for fish you really should! They are amazing hunters!

4"x6" oil on multimedia board

Update: SOLD on 6/9
Other paintings available here.

Miniature Painting - No 38 - Siberian Tiger

Next up, a Siberian tiger miniature painting.

4"x6" oil on multimedia board

Original: SOLD

Miniature Painting - No 37 - Baby Raccoon

Now that the Parklane Gallery Miniature show is over I am taking those images I did for the show and adding them to my Miniature Painting project. Here's the first one up, a baby raccoon.

 4"x6" oil on canvas panel

Update: SOLD on 6/9

Other paintings available here.

Free Art Print With Your Donation!

A close personal friend of mine is battling cancer. We have created a fund raiser campaign to raise money to help him with these expenses. Besides my own donation, I am offering art prints to anyone who donates $25 or more to his campaign. Only $25 for a hand-signed wildlife art print is a great deal by itself! But know that 100% of that will be going to my friend's fundraiser. I won't be taking a dime. In fact, I'll be eating the price of shipping myself, just to help him  out. Please, if you can help, donate and receive a print at no extra cost to you! Not even postage!

Donate here:

https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/4df2/patrick-lewis-bladder-cancer-fund

Important: When you donate, please use your real name. Do not use the anonymous option. I need to be able to keep track of who gets prints.

Here are some of the prints you will be able to choose from. Some of these images are of limited supply, so if you are particular about which one you get then the sooner you donate the more likely you are to get the one you want.

 

 

When you donate please message me on Facebook with your name and address so I can get the print in the mail. Or email me at ForestStudios@Yahoo.com

Thank you!