Franktown Meadows Hunter Derby

Its not easy painting a white horse! 16x12 oil on canvas board.
I spent part of Labor Day weekend at Franktown Meadows Equestrian Facility in Washoe City, NV. It's a spectacularly beautiful facility nestled at the base of Mt. Rose and was host to the Labor Day Hunter Derby - a fund raiser for the ALS Foundation. I spent a lot of time learning to use some of the more esoteric functions of my new camera and was fortunate enough to get some good shots. The horses were magnificent and I have new found respect for riders who manage to hang on over the very daunting jumps. Horse and rider seemed to be tackling the course as a real team - it was thrilling to see.
Below is a close up of the above painting. Its a little raw around the edges but I am going to leave it that way. Thanks for looking and your comments are always greatly appreciated.

More Progress

Still a long way to go - but having so so much fun! 24 x 36 oil on linen.

Finished?

Yes, its finished now

And a close up of the jockey.

On the Easel Tonight

I am about 85% done  - a few final tweaks here and there. I love the composition and the feeling of tension and ucertainty as to what is going to happen next. I am not sure who is in control here - the jockey, the horse or the forces of gravity.

Steeplechase Once Again

And a final few tweaks added today (Tuesday March 8th) and I am calling this one done.

18x24 oil on canvas board. The top photo is the final picture and next are two close ups. 

The series of photos above show the process of this painting from the original oil sketch with  a few strokes of color through to the final piece and two close up shots to show detail. The canas was toned with burnt umber plus thalo green and the original oil sketch was done in burnt sienna with some burnt umber for the darkest darks. In the second shot, I am massing in broad areas of color using thin paint and paying close attention to areas of shadow and light. I love how the horse is leaping into the shadow. The third shot shows the background added and the 4th is the final picture. All comments are greatly welcomed and appreciated.

Flat Out

Only had time for a quick small study before heading out to Reno for a few days of cold crisp air and snow capped Sierra mountain beauty. This little one is 8x8 and I call it Flat Out.

The Aiken Horse

The February/March issue of The Aiken Horse magazine was published today with this ad on page 36! If you follow the link, you can flip through the pages - an amazing magazine! I am so happy to have my steeplechase painting featured in this ad. This painting is 16x20 and is one of the pieces on display this month at the Willcox Inn courtesy of The Chisholm Gallery.

Aiken Standard Article February 4, 2011

The walls of The Willcox are beaming with equestrian pride this month, as the Chisholm Gallery,
a leading international dealer of sporting art, has brought an exhibition of more than 20 artists from
all over the world. Paintings, drawings, sculptures, needlepoint collections, vintage photographs, pearls, botanical water colors, lithographs, caricatures and more are on display and sale throughout the hotel for the rest of the month. Chisholm Gallery owner Jeanne Chisholm said, in her business, she strives for a
mix of fine art from new and established artists in a variety of media and subject matter. One of Chisholm’s favorite exhibits in the gallery is that of Susan Smolensky, an artist who depicts Steeplechase horses and scenes. “She has captured a dynamism that nobody else has,” said Chisholm of Smolensky. “The elevation, the angle at which she depicts the steeplechase horses jumping – she really makes you feel like you’re right there with her, right there in the moment of the jump or landing.” Many thanks to Ashleey Williamson, Aiken Standard writer.

Finished, Neutrinos and all!

                        

  

Put on the finishing flourishes and touches and I am happy! I loved painting on the linen as it gives so much texture to the brushstrokes - I could get used to using linen and think I should make it a habit.  Have posted a couple of close ups as well.  I still dont have a title for this painting but I think its the closest I have come yet to my goal of engaging the viewer in a reality that is beyond perceptual appearances and expectations. I will keep on trying and it is facts like these that spur me on:  "Neutrinos are the most abundant particles in the Universe and our Sun produces over two hundred trillion trillion trillion neutrinos every second, sixty-five billion of which speed through every square centimeter on the Earth's surface. They pass through the Earth. and us, without disturbing a single atom."
I must say I find this to be extremely fascinating and hope to give my viewers the feeling that there is more going on than meets the eye - no matter what subject I am painting! In any case, I hope you enjoy this picture as it is one of my favorites to date!

Work in Progress

I spent today working on this 24x18 piece. I think its about 80% done now - needs refinement here and there. I really like the composition, the subject (unusual as it is) and the hint of the jockey rolling free. I will post the next update when its done. I call it Chaos Theory! All comments are appreciated!

Quantum Poetry

Oh, I am loving the color in this - glorious color! The sky is a mixture of Winsor and Newton Vermilion (a pinkish red) and Rembrandt Vermilion ( an orange red) with buff titanium to lighten and a dash of white for good measure. This one  I have titled Quantum Poetry. 36x24 oli on stretched canvas. Please click on the photo to view it larger - I am sure you will enjoy it more!

The Principle of Uncertainty - Finished

I added a few details, tweaked the shadows, added some warms and I am calling this done now. Oil on canvas panel 24 x 18

The Principle of Uncertainty

Continuing with my steeplechase series - my imagination is on fire from this subject! This one needs a few final adjustments yet but is close to being done. 24 x 18 oil on canvas.

American Impressionist Society

Accepted! This painting was juried into the American Impressionist Society 11th National Juried Exhibition. It is being held at Richland Fine Art Gallery in Nashville, TN in October. This painting was done from a photo I took late one afternoon at the Del mar Racetrack here in San Diego, CA. It also recently won the Jurors Award at the Women Artists of the West show awarded by Peggy Kroll Roberts. I am so thrilled to participate in the AIS show this year! Here is a link to the AIS site where you can find a list of accepted artists: http://www.americanimpressionistsociety.org/