Desert Warrior - Ruth Andre

Today as I toiled away in the studio thoughts of art and life came to me.  Art, like life, is a continual growing place for an artist.  After posting the small painting yesterday, my husband suggested I paint a larger canvas in this style.  I surprised him and did just that.  I do not know if I will stay with this style of painting but it is good for me to work with a bit of wildness and add paint to the canvas to form shape with color.  I would imagine seeing myself at work would be like seeing a film on fast forward.  There is no time to linger.  There seems to be an immediate need to add the next palette of paint and then again and again.  Whew!  The horse is the obvious to view in this painting but I fell in love with the background and the feeling of movement and depth created while applying the paint with the palette knife.  It was, "A Painting Day".

"Desert Warrior" 24x24 inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre

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A Painter's Cloth

Update & News

There is a Blog site that I follow called Making A Mark and my blog, "A Painting Day", is featured on one of Katherine Tyrrell's blog posts on Blogs.  Scroll down to the heading Painters to see the post.  It is an honor to be represented on Making A Mark.

I am happy to report the client's choice for her favorite Charlie Portrait is "Charlie I" and she said she is thrilled with the painting.  It is always such a good feeling to paint a commission and have a happy client.

I have a Challenge painting in the works and another commission painting coming soon.  The studio is busy making for, "A Painting Day".

Charlie II - A Commission

A few posts back I posted "Charlie I" and today I am posting "Charlie II", the second painting of Charlie. The two images have been emailed to the client to see which painting she and her daughter favor the most?  I fell in love with this horse.  He has a sweet way about him and it shows through in his photos.  He is also a very good jumper and is headed to the Junior Hunter finals in San Juan Capistrano.  He and his owner surely will do well and have a lot of fun along the way.  So which painting will they choose?  Painting Charlie has made for, "A Painting Day".

"Charlie II" 12x12 inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre ©

"Charlie I" 12x12 inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre © Sold

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Eye Blanco

When I started painting years ago I only painted landscapes.  Then one day I looked out to the pasture and saw my horses and asked myself why I was not painting what I truly love, horses?  My first steps to teach myself to paint horses was to start with the eye of the horse.  I did a series of eye horse paintings and concentrated on the beauty of the horses' eye.  The painting today is "Eye Blanco" one of the first paintings in the "Eye Series".  To look into the eye of the horse is to see its soul.  Learning to paint horses made for, "A Painting Day".

"Eye Blanco" 10x10-inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre SOLD
A canvas print of "Eye Blanco" 10 x 10 x 1.5 is available $90.00

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Sale Day Paintings

Angus

As  you may recall my goal for the year has been to paint larger works and I have a work in progress below to show you what is on the studio easel at the moment.  The little Angus calf is an older work but one that is dear to my heart.  The rancher next door has Angus cows and a few new calves are romping in the pasture this spring.  It is a delight to see how the herd welcomes a new calf by coming over and either just taking a good look or licking the new calf.  The BIG Angus bull is part of the welcoming committee as well.  Seeing the spring calves has made for, "A Painting Day".

I love the long lean canvas format of the "My Cayenne" painting shown in the last post and thought I would paint a Paint horse using the same size canvas.  I am enjoying this painting as I work from side to side.  Hopefully the painting will be completed in the next few days for its debut.  Please enjoy "A Painting Day".

"Angus" 8x10 inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre SOLD

"Painter's Paint" working title and Work In Progress by Ruth Andre

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"My Cayenne"

How long has it been?  This painting of my horse, Cayenne, has been in my studio just waiting for the final touches for the past few months.  I think today I can say it is completed.  The composition being long and thin is rather fun and and gives a contemporary feel to this piece.  Cayenne was born and raised on our farm in Missouri.  I remember sleeping on hay bales to watch over her the first night after her arrival.  It was an exciting time and I think for the first two months of Cay's life I watched her none stop.    I would go to the pasture with the horses and just watch Cay run and play and then watch her napping in the paddock while her mother, Angel, grazed leaving her aunt Mystery to watch over her.   Having Cayenne in my life made for "A Painting Day".

"My Cayenne" 12x40-inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre

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Sale Day Paintings

"Ovaro"

This little Paint was painted from a reference photo taken by Judi Zoboll.  Judi has a wonderful artistic eye and when I saw her series of Paint horse photos I really wanted to paint them.  Meeting Judi made for, "A Painting Day".

"Ovaro" 6x6-inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre

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White Cloud

The rain is still coming down here in Northern California.  The creek is way up and has been for several days.  It makes for a true adventure getting across the creek and out of the valley. I have spent these rainy days in the studio painting except to venture out to feed and bring the horses to the barn.  We all get wet and the horses are full of energy so I step quickly under the yellow slicker. The painting today is of a wild Mustang stallion.  You may remember the post showing the work in progress photo a few weeks back.  I am happy to say it is now finished and ready to enjoy and it made for "A Painting Day".

"White Cloud" 12x24 inches, oil - canvas by Ruth Andre Sold
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Sale Day Paintings

Roaney

Sometimes we meet people that think they are just grand and when I met Roaney she was just that kind of horse.  Somehow she knows she is a beauty and has been able to win attention from the people in her life, some even calling her Princess.  Roaney is a beautiful Roan mare.  She is also a Cow loving horse and loves to work cows so it is good to know this about Roaney before taking her for a spin.  Roaney lives on a beautiful ranch in the Paso Robles, California area with her owner, Robin.  She is a part of a small heard of horses with a fair amount of acres to roam.  Luckily Roaney has met her match with Robin and they make a good team working together.  Meeting Roaney on a lovely spring day made for, "A Painting Day".

"Roaney" 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre SOLD
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Megan Noir & Moses Botkin Challenge

This is my third Challenge month with the Moses Botkin Challenge group.  It was also my turn to choose the March Challenge.  This may sound funny but I had never painted an image using a black background so I decided to Challenge myself by asking the group to paint an image on a black background and making it a must do for a new painting.  I chose to paint a little filly, Megan, that lives down the road.  Megan is older now and has been trained to ride and her owner says she is the best little mare.  So with true joy I painted Megan making for, "A Painting Day".

The Challenge member's paintings are below so please enjoy the show.

"Megan Noir"-4x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre © 2011
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"Sweet Reflections"

Oil on hardboard, 4"x6"
©2011 Diana Moses Botkin 

http://dianamosesbotkin.blogspot.com/

"Blue and Pink"

 Vicki Ross

9x12 pastel - All Rights Reserved © 2011

http://vickiandrandyrossart.blogspot.com

"Glass Artists"

5x7 oil on clayboard

“Not So Crystal Ball” oil on canvas 20x24” - All Rights Reserved © 2011

http://robincheers.blogspot.com
www.robincheers.com

“Not So Crystal Ball” oil on canvas 20x24”  - All Rights Reserved © 2011
Sharman Owings
http://sharmanowingspaintings.blogspot.com

SUNNY SIDE UP ©
16x20" oil on board
http://suzanneberry.blogspot.com/

Work In Progress - White Cloud

This past week my painting days have been exciting moving from small 6x6 canvas's to larger works.  A few are even nearing completion.  Oh Happy Day!  Today I am posting a work in progress.  It is of a wild Mustang stallion, White Cloud.  The canvas is 12x24,  just the perfect size to have room to move the paint around.  It needs to dry for a day or two and then it will go back onto the easel for hopefully the final lay in of paint and a final post.  Wish me luck!  Painting a wild stallion made for, "A Painting Day".

Work in Progress - "White Cloud" 12x24 inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
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Painting Sale Day 

Paladin

This has been one of the wettest days here on the little Ponderosa.  I have been fighting water going over the creek banks and coming down off the mountain moving through the outside horse stalls.  When not getting wet I have been snug in my studio painting this handsome Palomino Stallion, Paladin.  I was thinking this would make a nice large painting but wanted to paint it as a study first to see how I liked the composition.  Staying out of the rain made for, "A Painting Day".

"Paladin" 9x12-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
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Painting Photos

Well I have been on a wild hair and have several painting going in the studio.  I love starting a painting and I love the first and the second paint passes and then it gets down to the final and I start dragging my feet.  The photos are of me painting a portrait of my horse, Hopi.  She is a small Paint and it is a lot of fun seeing her bigger than life.  I learned one thing today.  Do NOT stand too close to a wet painting.  Taking on these big canvas works has made for, "A Painting Day".

Work In Progress of Hopi-36x36 inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
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Work In Progress

My goal for the year has been to get back to painting larger works.  I had forgotten how long larger paintings take and so wanted to finish this one today.  You can take a gander at the 'getting there' process for this 12x40-inch canvas.  The canvas size is kind of fun and one that I have never used before.  I think I like it.  The painting is my horse, Cayenne.  She was out in the pasture pretending not to see me but of course she saw all and finally came over and tried to eat the camera.  This is pre eating and just lounging.  You can also see my messy studio.  Be like Cay and pretend not to see my piles.  I am also posting today to say, good-bye to the Fresh Paint Daily Painters group that I have been posting with for the past few months.  Fresh Paint has a great group of artists and I love being part of the group but have decided I need to concentrate on my larger paintings and to do that I need to cut some of my posting activity.  Painting my old friend, Cayenne, has made for "A Painting Day".

"Cayenne"  12x40 -inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre Work in Progress
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February

I'm LATE!  January has been a whirlwind of activity in the studio and February got here seemingly very fast.  As promised here is the calendar for February.  The painting is of a Palomino mare named Diamond and she lives just over the hill in the Shenandoah Valley.  The studio is filled with several paintings in different stages of completion, including one for the next Moses Botkin Challenge.  I have also been in the thinking mode of what I would like to paint for a new series of works?  I would rather be painting and not thinking so much but I guess it all is part of the artistic process?  February is making for, "A Painting Day".

"Shenandoah" 12x12-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre

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Desert Spirit

This is the third painting of my Wild Series.  The images are small colorful studies that may later be painted again on much larger canvas'.  It has been fun to experiment with color and I have found that the spirit of the animal comes through with the color change. I will post all three works below so you can see them as a group.  It has been fun and taking another look at color has made for, "A Painting Day".


"Montana Blue 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
"Desert Spirit" 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre
"Red Horse" 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre

Just For Fun

Photofunia highlighting the painting "Uthyr"

"Uthyr" - 6x6-inches oil canvas

I have been busy in the studio getting canvas' ready and drawings ready for future paintings.  I have been invited to show for the 3rd year at the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum for a western exhibit and the deadline is coming up early next month.  Before panic sets in I should have the three new paintings painted, framed and ready to ship but I need to get in the studio and stay in the studio.  I am also entering a small works show in Albuquerque, New Mexico and it is a first for me so I may try something a little different?  The paintings for theses shows call for smaller works but as soon as these paintings are completed I am taking on a larger canvas.  Just for fun I have added a photo to the Photofunia site image and am showing the small 6x6 -inch painting, "Uthyr" in a gallery setting.  The look is large and I love seeing "Uthyr on a much larger canvas.  You can tell I am eagerly awaiting to tackle some larger paintings.  Enjoying studio time is making for, "A Painting Day".

"Uthyr" 6x6-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre

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Painted Pony

I had some sad news of a horse, "Mare" (Mack's Little Texas) that died on New Year's Day.  The post today is a tribute to "Mare". She in many ways has had a charmed life.  She lived in the prairie lands of Colorado bordering Wyoming.  She was the head mare to a small herd of horses and mules.  Mare was also a beautiful horse that held your gaze when looking out to the pasture.  I painted Mare a few years ago from a reference photo taken by Tori Seavey at Snowy Ridge Ranch.  Tori is a photographer, rancher, leather artists, horse trainer, mom, wife and all around nice person.  Tori has also started a new blog and I think you will find it intriguing to read the day to day activities of ranch life on the plains.  Click HERE for Tori's Blog.  Sadly I say good-bye to Mare.  May she find a new herd to lead in heaven.  Meeting Tori and her herd has made for, "A Painting Day".

 "Painted Pony"-10x10-inches, oil/canvas by Ruth Andre sold
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Happy New Year

Every year I take on writing down a few resolutions for the New Year.  Some get done and some take a few years to process.  I think writing down your goals is a good way to set them in motion.  This year I have one goal that made it to the top of the list and that is to start painting larger works once again.  I have been caught up with the small format day to day blog posts.  It is time to get back to my vision.  The photos below will give you an idea of what painting big looks like in my small 10x12 foot studio.  I am standing on a box in these photos.  The painting in progress is "Mystery" 60x40-inches.  Thinking BIG has made for, "A Painting Day".

Here is the finished painting-"Mystery" 60x40-inches, oil on canvas

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Have A Wonderful Holiday

This is an exciting time of year.  We can all take a moment and be thankful and joyful for our friends and family.  We can also take time to give to those that mean so much to us.  I would like to send a special greeting to those that have given support to me with my art career this past year.  To all of you that visit my blog and a special thanks to those that make a comment or two.  It is so encouraging to hear from each of you.

The photo above was taken at my farm in Missouri a few years ago.  I am out in the horse pasture holding all four of my mares.  This was no easy task since Angel is the head mare and would only stand by her daughter, Cayenne and Hopi had to be careful of Cayenne since Cay likes to boss her around and then poor Mystery had to be all on her own since she is the low horse in the herd's pecking order.  I have lots of good memories living in the Mid-West and being a Farmer's Wife.  It was a great life.

Peace and Love to all.