Category Archives: Linda Shantz

Warming Up


We can’t complain about the weather here in Southern Ontario right now – after our first real snow last week, we’ve had some very spring-like weather lately. Two of the commissions I’ve been working on are complete – one is all framed and I will take it to the post office tomorrow; the other we’re looking at framing options. My next portrait is an oil pastel, and it’s been like visiting old friends to go back to that medium!

I was determined to paint something today, and it was this evening before I got to it. I’ve decided, crazy though I might be, to do another Thirty Horses, Thirty Days in April, so consider this one a warm-up of sorts. This is an 8 x 10 oil on canvas, using my old faithful limited palette of ultramarine blue, burnt umber, cadmium red medium, titanium white and a touch of yellow ochre. The subject is a very pretty filly named Van Lear Rose, Canada’s champion two-year old filly in 2008.

On a sad note, I learned today that an old “friend” died. Millie was an older Thoroughbred broodmare, and actully my Monster’s “aunt” – she was a half-sister to Monster’s sire, Tejabo. I actually did a painting of Millie and one of her foals a few years ago, which I called “Signs of Spring.” I worked with many of Millie’s babies during the time I worked at the farm she called home. She was a very pretty, sweet mare. Long may she run.

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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Performance Art

There’s nothing like an untouched paddock to inspire equine action worthy of a photo shoot! I’ve been thinking about putting Gracie and Jubie out into the larger paddock that was occupied by the mares before they left for Kentucky. Today, warm with a clear blue sky, turned out to be the perfect day.


Jubie is about eight months along in her pregnancy right now, so she was relatively reserved next to Gracie. Miss Grace, however, did not disappoint, showing off her usual display of moves. I think she tired herself out, because she’s napping quite peacefully in the corner right now!

Just a note – Gracie did not, in fact, strike Jubie in the face in that one shot! I just looks that way! Plenty of inspiration for now paintings here. This is just a small selection of the 200 or so photos I took. And please excuse the strange formatting of this post – sometimes Blogger has a mind of its own!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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Beating the Blahs with a pARTy!


I decided because my fellow Virtual pARTy organizer Kim Santini posted her pARTy painting, I could post mine as well. All’s fair in painting and pARtying! This time around Kim provided our reference photo, from a photo shoot of her friend’s Curly horses. This is up close and personal with Percy…which, come to think of it, is something like what Kim called her painting! If you’d like to see the photo, visit the pARTy blog. Thanks, Kim!

The details: this is 10 x 10 oil on gallery wrap canvas. This particular canvas was interesting, because it was prepped with clear gesso, so there was no need to tone it like I would normally do with a white surface. It was already the perfect colour for this particular painting. It’s available for $300 US, plus shipping – once it’s dry enough to go to a new home! Just email me if you’re interested.

The pARTy officially runs until Saturday, so if anyone still wants to play with us, the instructions are also posted on the pARTy blog. Contact one of us if you’d like a high resolution file of the photograph. Sometime early next week, we will post all of the participants’ entries on the pARTy blog, so be sure to check back then. Better yet – follow the blog so you get the latest updates.

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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You Win Some, You Lose Some…


Some days paintings just seem to fall off the brushes…and others, well, are a hard-fought battle from start to finish (or abandonment, as the case may be!). Today was a bad case of the latter. I’ve wanted to do this painting for a long time – such a sweet moment between Twine and her first foal, baby Gracie. Gracie got her name because at only two and a half days, she was referred to the Ontario Veterinary College large animal clinic with colitis. She spent five days there, and fortunately recovered, though the reason for her illness was never determined. Out of that experience came her name, Therebutforgrace.

This painting is just a 5 x 7 sketch, oil on masonite, and I think part of the issue was the panel – I just felt as if I was fighting it the whole way. I think this is one I’d like to do larger, and it could be a partner piece to the 11 x 14 I did of Toula and her baby last year.


I could easily do a series of paintings of these mare and foal moments. I have some really cute photos of Clever and Billy. I think Leo and Spider were both tough love babies, though, because I don’t remember too many touching moments with those two!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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Contentment


That’s what came to mind as the two boys spent a large chunk of the afternoon grooming each other from head to toe. I couldn’t believe how long and how thoroughly they went at it! Both were completely immersed – who knew two yearling colts could have that kind of attention span!


They had a slightly stressful morning. Really, these two have the life right now, but every six weeks they’re expected to be big boys, when the blacksmith comes for their trims. When they’re young, we just do the foals in their stalls, with walk-outs as necessary to check them. Today I finally decided it was time they both grew up, and stood in the aisle on the mats like the big horses!

They handled it pretty well. Leo had one good temper tantrum with a lurching half-rear, but Spider out-did that performance by basically falling/lying down. That’s the ultimate cop-out for a horse, and I think they always feel somewhat embarrassed by it! Fortunately it was a slow-motion sort of deal, where he just kept sinking, until he found himself in a heap. He was certainly very good for the rest of the job!

Monster was next, up at the other farm, and after her trim I rode her. After that it was back home to work Gracie and do stalls, then a short break to watch another Canadian Gold at the Olympics before heading back to the barn to feed. That left the evening for painting! Tonight I started a new commission, working from a challenging reference photo – not that that’s ever happened before! This one is a 16 x 20 oil on masonite panel.


Yesterday I started my “challenge” painting. My friend Elizabeth McCrindle of Scotland and I both want to improve our humans, artistically. When Elizabeth showed some photos from a trip to Ayr Racecourse this past weekend and said she now had lots of photos of the jockeys, so no excuses on the challenge. It made me think that I also have several photos of the riders, so we both agreed to do one this week. You can see the start Elizabeth made on her blog, and in keeping with accountability, I’ll post the one I started here. I’ve got a much easier one than Elizabeth, I think – I find helmets really hard, and I found a shot with no helmet. I’m not going to tell you who it is. If you think you know, I want to hear it. Just a very rough start so far!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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2008 Queen’s Plate ~ Not Bourbon

Here’s a smaller painting that I just completed.  This is an 8 x 10 oil on Signature linen panel of the finish of the 2008 Queen’s Plate.  Not Bourbon, on the inside, just held off the filly Ginger Brew to win the mile and a quarter classic in a thrilling stretch duel.  I’m pretty sure it was probably his tongue sticking out that made the difference!

This painting is available for $500 unframed for a limited time.  If you’re interested, drop me an email!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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Strategizing

This is the finished version of the painting in my banner, above.  The painting  is a 15 x 28 oil on linen of the first time past the grandstand in the Canadian Oaks a few years ago.  I love the interaction of the riders as they find their positions early in the race.

This painting is framed and available for sale, for $2200.00.  Just email me if you’d like more information.

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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2008 Horse of the Year, Sealy Hill

original oil by LindaShantz

I apologize for the long time between posts on this blog!  Seems my studio blog has been keeping me busy.  This is a 16 x 20 oil on panel that I completed last summer of 2008 Canadian Horse of the Year, Sealy Hill, one of the best fillies we have seen in recent years.  By Point Given out of Boston Twist, by Boston Harbour, she is owned by Eugene Melnyk and was trained by Mark Casse during her career.  With her in the painting is regular rider, Patrick Husbands.

Please email me for more information!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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Another Birthday!


Today it was Gracie’s turn to celebrate a birthday – her second. It’s somehow appropriate that Gracie is a Valentine’s baby – she’s been the farm sweetheart from day one. While she has been getting a little big for her britches in the last little while, I’ve started breaking her, and that structure has helped bring things back in line, so to speak! She’s quite a lovely filly – not that I’m biased or anything!


In honour of Valentine’s Day and Gracie’s birthday, I began a new painting. I’ve had this one earmarked since the day I shot the reference last March – how could I not? This is the first day Gracie and Billy were turned out together last year – and their first encounter was priceless. Seconds after this moment, they each ran off in opposite directions! I’ve already got a title for this one – “Boy Meets Girl.” Knowing the rest of the story, it’s more than a little funny to me! This one is 8 x 16 oil on Raymar cotton canvas panel.

As I’ve been on my own so far working with Gracie, I don’t have any photos of us, but today after I was finished with her (no day off for the Birthday Girl!) I did a little quick sketch in pen from memory. I may try and turn this into a little painting – we’ll see.


Tonight I went and got on Monster, who I’ve been in the process of rehabbing from a mishap – best I can figure, she slipped on the ice back in December, and threw her ribcage out of whack! I’ve finally started back riding her this past week, and tonight we had a great ride – so we’re making progress! Then I came home to watch Canada’s Alexandre Bilodeau win Gold in the men’s moguls at the Olympics in Vancouver. A great day, all round!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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Late Plate


I think I might be calling this one done. I began this 8 x 10 oil on Classen’s Linen panel (by Signature) last September. At this point I should probably just say it’s two unnamed racehorses, but in fact it’s the finish of the 2008 Queen’s Plate, with Not Bourbon beating out the filly Ginger Brew probably by about the extra length his tongue provided!

Below is the painting in the very early stages, as I worked on it at the CTHS Yearling sales. Now, if I start the painting of the 2009 Queen’s Plate soon…when do you think I will have it finished?

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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The Birthday Boy

It was a year ago Tuesday that Leo was born – hard to believe that tiny, sleek baby is the same horse as the fuzzy young man out in my paddock today! On Monday I was over at a nearby farm to take some photos of some of this year’s babies, and one always forgets just how tiny they are in those early days. Leo and Spider look small to me because the two-year-old Gracie is so tall and leggy…but they’re nothing like the new little ones!

I’ve been working on commissions and larger paintings this week, so I thought today I was due a smaller, looser one. I was flipping through some of the reference photos I’ve got printed out, and came across this one of Leo when he was still tiny! This painting is 8 x 6 oil on shellacked masonite.


And now a couple of photos of Leo as he is today – one of him hamming it up, and another of him playing ‘fighting stallions’ with his buddy. These two have a long way to go before they can match the prowess of those that have battled before in these paddocks! And interestingly, the most noteworthy may very well have been a mare. Rest assured Gladzilla will never be forgotten around here.

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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I Hear You Calling…


Just a short post tonight to show the painting I did today. This is another quick one, a 6 x 8 oil. It might look familiar, because I posted the reference photo a couple of days ago. And this one is dedicated to my friend, fellow artist Elizabeth McCrindle in Scotland, Spider’s virtual godmother! The photo did look like he was listening to someone calling him…could very well be a voice from across the ocean!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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Just A Little Break


I’m feeling like I have several of my paintings in the ‘uglies’ all at once right now. I know it will pass, but I just wanted to do something small and quick today. I was up at the other barn to pay Monster a brief visit yesterday, and it was such a nice sunny day I took my camera along. While this other farm is less than ten minutes away, the landscape is different enough that it is probably a few degrees colder than my place, because it’s not sheltered from the wind at all. I had trouble holding the camera steady! I didn’t take a lot of photos because I got cold so fast, but I got a few shots that will inspire more of these little paintings.

This one is just 4 x 6 oil on Raymar panel -a tiny painting of a huge horse! Bellator is a young Warmblood gelding. I’ve photographed him a few times – once ‘officially’ for his owner – and I expect I will be doing another painting of him!

It’s always good to take these litte breaks from the more serious paintings. I need to do more – I miss them! We’ll see how April shapes up – perhaps another “Thirty Days” is in order!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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A Sure Cure for the Winter Blahs

Heading out with the camera never seems to fail to cheer me up if the weather is getting to me. I’m going to post some pics of the ‘kids’ while I’m working away at various WIPs. The commission currently on the easel is coming along well, and hopefully it won’t be too long before I show it to the client for input on the progress before moving on to the final stages. I happen to know this particular client likes to see photos of the ‘kids’ and by the sounds of it, this horse I’m painting would like to hang out with my boys!


I’ve started working with Gracie, and it’s so far been a reminder of why this time of year is not great for breaking horses! We had quite a cold snap last week, and the normally spunky Miss Grace was all the more exuberant! I’m taking it very slowly with her, as that’s the whole reason it’s me doing the job. She has a growth issue with one of her pasterns so my goal is to get those early lessons done without causing too much stress to the joint. At the training centre, things would proceed more quickly.


Friday was a ’spa’ day for Gracie – she got her feet trimmed, and I pulled her unruly mane so she looks more like a Thoroughbred! The vet was also out to float her teeth and remove a couple of wolf teeth – it was the sedation required for that which allowed me to pull her mane (*not* her favourite thing). I’m not sure most would entertain the thought of a visit to the dentist as part of a spa day, but, well, that’s just the way it worked out!

The boys are having a lot of fun these days. They’re opposites, as potential racehorses: Leo (above) is often quite happy to watch Spider/Batty (my name/owner’s name!) tear around, but when he gets going, wow, he can move. So Spider is our sprinter, and Leo will be the one coming from behind! And Leo has a registered name now – officially, he’s “Jultagi.” First name choice of “Sharp Dressed Man” was rejected because it was deemed to have ‘commercial, creative or artistic significance.’ I wondered about that, but hoped it might get through. I think Jultagi is rather clever – it’s the Korean art of tight-rope walking, and Leo is by Strut the Stage, out of Twine Flies…get it?

Spider’s first name choice was rejected for the same reason – it was “Bat Out of Hell” (hence the ‘Batty’ barn name, because that’s the way he tears around!). I’d warned the owners the Jockey Club might not approve it, so we’ll see if they’ve come up with a second choice!

Spider

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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Control vs. Abandon


I know as an artist, I tend to stay closer to the ‘control’ side of the equation. It’s not an uncommon pursuit among artists to want to ‘loosen up,’ the whole ‘less is more’ scenario. If I can throw yet another cliché at you – the good old “a picture is worth a thousand words” – those words, translated to artspeak, might be brushstrokes, and I doubt I will live long enough to get where I want to in mastering those! The goal is efficiency – to be able to put the stroke down once, and have it say what I want it to say. Right now all I’m saying is, “Not in this lifetime!” though I wish that weren’t so!

Today I worked at both ends of the spectrum, or as best I can at this point! I continued to put colour into my present commission project – just a very light, thin layer, and I’m really liking how it’s coming along. I have a few issues to resolve with the photos I’m working from – they were taken mid-day, which means high contrast, strong shadows. Great for drama, but this is a portrait, so I’m toning those down. As the paint will dry quickly because this layer is so thin, I’ll be able to proceed fairly soon on this one, and I’m looking forward to it!

Tonight, in order to balance an afternoon devoted to careful work, I did a little 8 x 10 sketch. I’m not calling this one done, but one thing I know is I’d like to do this much larger, so I’ll try to keep myself from going too far with the sketch. The reference I’m working with is of Alphabet Soup, who is standing this season at Gardiner Farms. I was at Woodbine the day he beat Cigar in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, so to see him up close, and be able to get some pretty cool photos – well, it made my day, back in December at the stallion parade.

This oil is on shellacked masonite, a surface I’m still getting a feel of. I love leaving the panel showing, so this and future attempts will include figuring out how to use that to its advantage!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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January pARTy


As promised, here’s my painting for the Virtual pARTy. I went with a simple crop to be sure I could get it done in the time frame, given the rest of my schedule! This is 6 x 8 oil on Raymar cotton panel.

We had some great work in this month’s pARTy, so I hope you’ll take a moment and have a look. Think about joining us next time!

I’ve been busy at the easel for most of today, working on getting that painting of the three mares I posted the other day past the uglies! I should have an update to post soon…unless I decide to wait till it’s complete. I think it actually might be turning out!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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Busy Day!


Some days things just roll. I started painting early today, putting some work in on my next commission. This particular commission will require a number of layers, so I will be letting what I did today dry before continuing. I took a painting break to go out and do stalls and work a bit with Gracie, then threw all the horses hay before getting back to the studio.

I have a few pieces around that are near completion. It’s a funny thing, how putting those last touches and calling it ‘done’ are often the most difficult part of the process. I could have picked up any one of half a dozen or more paintings to conquer today, but I decided it had been a while since I did a dog painting, so I tackled this little 6 x 8 oil on Raymar panel of an Australian Cattle Dog doing agility. I’m going to call it “Tunnel!” for obvious reasons! I might enter this in the FASM From Heart to Hand show in early March, if it’s not sold before then. If you’re interested, it’s available, unframed, for $280.00US including shipping (in North America). Just email me.


Next I put a bit of polish on a painting I did last June. I don’t often touch up my daily paintings like this, but I always loved the composition of this and felt a little more work would be worthwhile. This is 8 x 10 oil on masonite panel, and I’m calling it “Contender.” It’s available, unframed for $450.00US (shipping included in North America). Once I frame both of these paintings, the price, needless to say, will have to go up!

Tomorrow I’ll share my Virtual pARTy painting. Participants have until midnight tonight (in their respective time zones) to submit their work, and then I will post all paintings on the blog. Pop over there if you’d like to see the reference photo we’re working from.

Days like this, I hate to go to bed, thinking surely I could accomplish more!

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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A Horse and His Boy


I’m finally going to unveil one of my recent commissions. This is Junior, a sixteen year-old Polish Arabian, and the painting is 11 x 14 oil on Raphael linen panel. It was such fun to photograph this guy, and Junior is obviously a very special horse, so I’ve asked to share some of his story. I don’t think I can put it better than Junior’s owner did in her first email to me.

“Junior is a very special horse. He is my son’s guardian angel. My son, Riley is 10 yrs old. He has Epilepsy. Riley started having seizures when he was 2 yrs old. When he reached 4 yrs old…kids in school were playing hockey/soccer. Riley thought he was too sick to play sports. That worried me. He wasn’t sick. He had seizures…

Riley’s first riding lesson – one of many – would be on Junior. One year later the riding school sold their land. They put some of their school horses up for sale. I am a single mom and always dreamed of having an Arabian since I first watched the Black Stallion! I took it as fate. I had been saving up to take Riley on a trip Alberta to see the ‘bad lands’ and the Dinosaur Museum. Instead, I used the money to buy Junior.

Junior transformed Riley. Riley was no longer telling people he was ’sick,’ even though there were days he was having 6 seizures in a day (while on 2 medications!!)! Other kids talk about hockey, baseball and soccer- – Riley just smiles and says anyone can play that- but not anyone can ride a horse!

The first year we had Junior, there was an incident with Riley as he was trotting around on his own in the arena (I was in the middle of the arena) and Junior stopped and would not continue to move. I walked over to ask “Why aren’t you making him go?” I thought maybe Junior was being a brat..I then realized Riley was having a seizure while sitting on Junior. Junior had known something was wrong..and he stopped. This happened a few times after, each time Junior would stop slowly and wait for me.

Junior has given Riley so much confidence. Riley thinks he can do anything. Riley is now taking only 1 medication and is so far 1 yr seizure free!

Junior changed Riley’s life..and mine. I have people at the barn where he is stabled offering to buy him. I will never part with him. I know the day will come when Riley will out grow him, and we will have to buy a second horse. I like to tease Riley about when he out grows Junior…that Junior will be all mine to ride…and I will buy a pink saddle…pink saddle pad…pink polos… etc. Riley gets mad and tells me ‘He’s a boy horse- he doesn’t wear pink, mom!’

©Copyright 2009 by Linda Shantz. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit her website.

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