Fresh perspective part 2

I started this picture several years ago. It is from a photo I took at the fairgrounds on the forth of July that year. I love this beautiful mare's earnest expression. I completed a smaller version which is available for prints on Fine Art America. 

I am gathering work to exhibit locally at the end of April. While doing this, I went through my works in progress. This is one of the paintings I set aside in 2017. It feels great to get back to some of my old ideas. I am enjoying the sense of completion. I have two more to work into. 

This is a shot of today's progress. I hope to finish it over the weekend. I don't think I  will ever get tired of equine subject matter.

Fresh eyes, new perspective.

 I set this picture aside a few years ago because I was struggling to determine the image's concept. It is based on a reference photo taken by equine artist Karen Broemmelsick. Sometimes it is good to set a project aside for a while and review it again with a fresh perspective. 

While the gesture and expression of the horse appealed to me, I realized that what made this composition most interesting was the interplay of contrasts. The image was a mixture of complimentary variations of blues and oranges and warm tones and cool tones. Manipulating that idea is what I hadn't realized when I began this painting two years ago.

It will be scanned this week and available for prints online. It's been over a year since I portrayed equine subjects. It is great to study them again.