Things seem a tad unsettled around here the last little while. I’ve been struggling with trying to meet art and show deadlines. Got one biggie out of the way today when I got the box with five artworks off to the Grand National show, now I have to get printing and framing my images for the local Gardenscapes show, which I will deliver later in the week. Also have a couple of mixed media collage commissions to get finished, although I’m in good shape on them and it shouldn’t be too hard to get them finished. They are the first I’ve done based on someone else’s photos *and* not animal based (family history images provided by my client). It’s been an interesting process and I’ve enjoyed the journey. Once they’re done, if my client agrees, I’ll post them here.

Unsettled would describe the weather. The day started with a beautiful clear blue sky and abundant sunshine, but by the time Mark (grandson, with me days this week during Easter school break) and I were heading out to shop at the local used book store later in the morning, it was snowing, at times quite heavily. Not sure what the forecast is for the rest of the week, but I’m glad the nice day yesterday didn’t trick me into taking Alpac’s blanket off. Guess we’re not ready for that yet. Since he is blanketed all winter, he never does grow much of a coat, so I try not to let him go naked until we can be pretty sure of decent weather. Apparently not yet.

The other unsettled area of life is horse related. There has been an outbreak of a contagious and potentially dangerous mutation of the equine rhinovirus (EHV-1) at one of the local stables. There was an article on it in the paper this morning
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/third_page/story.html?id=60b6f3f6-c509-459a-8f92-9df51c8de0bb&k=73219 giving the outline of the situation. This is something that has occured in various parts of North America and other continents over the past few years. No-one knows where this outbreak originated, just that it showed up at this particular facility. It’s pretty much like lightning striking. It’s going to hit somewhere if it’s out there, and it’s the luck of the draw where it will occur. Given the on-going moving about of horses and riders to most training/boarding facilities, whether it’s visiting another barn, moving a horse from one facility to another, going to shows or clinics, it’s inevitable that “what goes around, comes around”. The best any of us can do is keep our horses vaccinated as is appropriate, see that they are well nourished, fit and in good health, and try to minimize contact with outside horses when possible. So far “my” barn has no symptomatic horses, and strict rules have been laid out to all boarders re taking all precautions possible to keep it from getting to our facility. Everyone in the horse world understands the seriousness of this outbreak and the potential health and economic repercussions for the horse industry.

The first shot for today shows the view outside our front window at noon. It’s pretty self-explanatory.

Shot number two is the final piece that I sent to the Grand National show. I was only going to send four initially, but this one is a favourite from a shoot last summer, and I wanted to try a different presentation with it. It is mounted on a 16″ x 20″ gallery wrap canvas, painted and collaged around the outside. Title is “Reubens’ Mares” as I felt these curvaceous girls were the equine equivalent of the lush and fleshy women featured in the artwork of Reubens.

©Copyright 2008 by Judy Wood. See original post here.