Tag Archives: Kentucky

Another White Horse

I have been working on this 11 3/4 x 13 3/4″ casein for a few days now, on and off. Yes, another white foreshortened horse. This is a subject that I can not get tired of exploring. And I will be doing more white horses over time…a series of sorts. [Like my 'Shades of Black' series that can be seen on my website.] This is a stallion from the Darley Farm in Lexington KY., a wonderful Thoroughbred Stud Farm that I was privileged to visit last spring. You don’t see many farms like this here in Maine!

It is quiet today at Cob Cottage Studio…Nellie, our non-stop Jack Russell Terrier, is at the vet’s, where she will spend the night, recuperating after having been spade this morning. She is doing well..or so I was told when I called a bit ago to check on her progress. Addie, our Corgi, is enjoying her reprieve from her nemesis and napping and taking leisurely strolls around the farm. How Nell has changed our life…for the better….since she came into it a year ago. But for today we are enjoying a quiet time.

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

Playing With Light


I am still going through photos from our Kentucky trip last May. Most shots are of horses, horse farms, Keeneland and Churchill Downs Race Tracks….and yes, several Jack Russells that we met. But I do have some shots of a certain real estate in Cincinnati that I fell in love with. It stood looking down on the Ohio River with tree lined streets and was surrounded by other lovely homes. How I wanted to look inside…I could imagine myself living there.

I came home with several photos of this old Italianate style home….and today I finished this 12 x 9″ casein painting of the house. I painted this as an evening scene, as I imagined it might look in the glow of the evening sky. I can still see myself living there!
But I don’t know where the horses would fit??;-)

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

Closing Day at Churchill Downs

This horse seemed dressed appropriately for the 4th of July Closing weekend at Churchill Downs.

My family all made the three hour drive to Louisville for a day at the races. No , I didn’t win anything…..but that hardly matters because the photo ops were fantastic. We all had a great day full of a lot of laughs and beautiful horses. We were happy to have the chance to see Calvin Borel that day and my impression of him as being a genuinely nice person is only reinforced after seeing him interact with his fans after the races. When the day was done and he wasn’t in a hurry to get on to preparing for the next race, he stopped and gave all of his goggles to some kids awaiting a chance for an autograph….. they were thrilled. It was just one of those great days all around.

©Copyright 2008 by Joan Jannaman. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit Joan Jannaman’s website.

A Jack Called Punky

This handsome fellow was all Jack when we visited Cobra Farm in Lexington,KY. last May, during my solo show at Gallery B. Though I was taken with all the beautiful thoroughbred horses at the farm, it seems the dogs I met there have come alive on my canvases first.
This is a small 8 x 6″ casein on canvas on board.

Another rainy day finds me back in the studio for the afternoon. My pups are sleeping.The house is quiet. It’s a good time to paint.

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

Knowing Where I Am Going


I have been asked by so many about my process of painting, how do I paint? How do I pick my subject matter and how do I approach a work?

Writing my process is the hard job…[ Can you say Aphasia? ]…….
but maybe showing it might be easier for me!

I recently started a large canvas of a horse and rider that I saw when I was at the Kentucky Horse Park. I was down there for my solo show at Gallery B in Lexington, in May.There was a hunter jumper 3-phase going on at The KHP that peaked my interest, so I sat and watched it for a while. I watched the stadium jumping and the warm up arena where there were various equestrians warming up, practicing and some were even taking last minute lessons with their trainers.There was eye candy for me everywhere and so hard for me to focus on what I felt I needed to capture. But this one rider and her horse kept piquing my interest….they had movement and excitement. So that is how I pick my subject matter …to start. Above is the charcoal sketch I did on the 40 x 30″ canvas. Then I go in with my colors to give it some design….some definition as to what colors I want to use ..the darks and lights, and the entire composition element of the work. I have decided the depth of the work and where the light is coming from.

With casein, I have to wait while the paint dries between phases…..before I can go back in to glaze the next color over or if I want to intensify the current color. In my process I glaze, cross- hatch, dark over light…or light over dark…what suits my purpose. There are NO rules…and with casein I can do thin washes , graded washes,or do scumbling or broken colors techniques. I sometimes add a bit of acrylic into my casein paint….sometimes I add a larger concentration of casein emulsion into my paint. What I do in one painting is not necessarily what I do in the next.
I guess that is how I address life. There are no rules. Life changes and should the input and out put.
So this is where I am with this painting so far. Have I answered any questions?

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

Kentucky Sunrise

This is a detail of the finished “Kentucky Sunrise” casein [18 x 18"] on canvas. The entire painting shows a panorama of the fenced fields at Darley Farm in Lexington. This stallion is Hard Spun who stands at Darley and who was an undefeated Stakes winner as a two year old. The power of this man, even standing as stud, is undeniable. The morning that we visited him he had just rolled in dirt….living the good life at this point in his career!

More handsome studs from this farm are in the works. So many and so awesome! I will be posting the whole view of the painting on my website. But we are still dealing with a sick Corgi and farm chores and life that just seems to keep getting in the way. Blog entries will be short and sweet for now!

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

Trivia Galore

Well, I received the new palette and have filled it with some of my casein colors that I use. I almost don’t want to touch it now, as it is so nice and pristine. But I know I need to “bite the proverbial bullet” and get down and dirty with it. I just needed to show everyone how nice it looks!! :-)


I have been busy going through the pile of photo shots taken in KY during our visit. Here is a shot of Bobbye and I in front of the American Academy of Equine Art. Bobbye and Ed were our hosts and tour guide during our entire stay. They gave us a royal tour of equine highlights in Lexington and Louisville; and then in Cincinnati we got into the arts and architecture of that great city. We can’t thank them enough!

I have been painting some, but the past week was also taken up with caring for our Corgi, Addie, as she tries to get over a bad eye infection. Part of the ordeal is also keeping the puppy, Nell, away from Addie as the poor girl heals. Like kids!

Back to the drawing board now as I finish up a casein painting of a Lexington thoroughbred stallion who posed for me ….I know he wanted to be painted! I am putting the finishing touches on it now.

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

Touring Thru Kentucky And Solo Show

May 2009 is a very month busy it seems. I feel as if it has me sort of hanging on to my hat!

Our trip to Lexington has come and gone and I am still dizzy with all the images captured in my head and on film from the whirlwind tour of Lexington, the Kentucky Horse Park, the horse farms and Keeneland and then over to Louisville and Churchill Downs…then following the Ohio River back to Cincinnati [Actually out side of Cincinnati in Ryland, KY.]

Here is a photo of Bobbye and I hamming it up at KHP! [me on left]
The opening reception at Gallery B of my solo show was fun, looked great and brought sales…. and after the opening we were taken out to dinner by the Gallery owners…to an Italian Restaurant,” Portofino”. Very appropriate for me, I am thinking!!! Portofino is one of my most favorite spots on the Mediterranean coast. Me [a very tired me] and Marci One wall of my show at Gallery B
On Saturday morning Marci, the director of Gallery B met us at our hotel and we headed out for a tour of Daly Farm, Sheik Mohammed of Dubai’s stud farm where I was able to get some great shots of some of the Thoroughbred industries best stallions…
[i.e. Bernardini, Hard Spun, Holy Bull, Rockport Harbor] courtesy of Gallery B! From there we headed out to Keeneland to grab a hearty breakfast at the famous racetrack restaurant. We walked around the stables and the grounds of Keeneland for more shots that I know will give me reference for future paintings. Then off we went to tour Cobra Farm and the broodmares and new foals. I also got some new JRT shots…great!! Then we headed to Louisville and Churchill Downs for afternoon races… a bit of betting …and a Mint Julep of course!

On Sunday we were back at Ryland and so went into Cincinnati and “did” the Art Museum and our hosts, Ed and Bobbye Winterberg gave us a grand tour of the city highlights. I loved the Victorian brick townhouses there along the Ohio River! We got to enjoy an art fair in a park along the riverside. And then to celebrate Mothers Day we headed to an Indian restaurant and pigged out on curry and Nan!!

I have a wealth of new reference shots to create from…. and I happy to be back in the studio and working on ideas. I arrived back to several new commissions, new show invites and looks like the summer is going to be busy.
Today I delivered my above casein of my mom riding a pig…it’s titled “Poor Girls Pony” to the 2009 Festival of Art at the Huchinson Center in Belfast. Maine. That show opens today May 14th through May 17. Tomorrow we got to the opening reception for Jamie Wyeth’s new show at the Farnsworth in Roclkand, Me. Yes..very busy!
I guess I wouldn’t want it any other way!!!

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

Taking the Corner at the Head of the Lake


Last week I went to the Rolex Kentucky 3-day Event, as is tradition, with several girlfriends. It’s  all horses all day for 3 days and we have a blast. It helps to cast off winter and start fresh upon returning home. One of the most exciting days is cross country and one of the most exciting jumps is the the water jump at the Head of the Lake. This is Bruce Davidson and Jam as they took the middle portion of the jump complex.

This original 5×7 matted (8×10) watercolor is available for $80 plus $5 S&H to the first emailer to lojomjnc@charter.net.

I am also offering 5×7 giclees for $10 plus $5 S&H.

20% of proceeds from this painting will be donated to Cheff Center for Therapeutic Riding in Augusta, MI.

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

Be Aware This May

May is Stroke Awareness month. It is also the month that my solo art show titled ”Finding My Voice” opens in Lexington, Kentucky at Gallery B, with a reception on May 8th from 5-8 pm. The works in this show were recreated over that past two and a half years…since August of 2006. That date is pivotal in the theme of the show. But let me digress…read my blog entry of May 19th, 2008 that explains a lot. ….

“What May Means To Me Or Why I Blog” MAY 19TH 2008

May has always been a special month for my family…spring is in full swing, my husband’s birthday falls in May and of course so does Mother’s Day. But this year [and last year] May has taking on new meaning for us, as it is designated as Stroke Awareness Month.And we are very aware about stroke. Now.
On July 29th of 2006, my husband and I, along with my sister who was visiting from California, were all headed from our farm in Morrill, Maine to my eldest brother’s home in New Hampshire to celebrate his 70th birthday. It was a surprise party for him and for the first time in a long time, my siblings and I were going to be together to party and have a good time. We arrived on time and I got out of our car to greet everyone, feeling so happy to see us all together. My sister-in-law, Bev walked up to me and started talking …I could hear her, but I couldn’t make out a word that she was saying. I didn’t feel right, but was busy looking around at everybody when I realized I couldn’t see my right hand or arm and I couldn’t figure out where they were…and I was still trying to understand Bev. She sounded like a slow broken record and her words were all jumbled to me. I looked around for my husband, Les and when I saw him I asked, “Where’s my arm? And he said “By your side? What’s the matter?” Then I guess everyone saw something was wrong with me. I remember them helping me into the shade of a huge tree on the grounds and helping to lay me down on the ground. I looked up at everyone…I didn’t know what was happening. I couldn’t really talk and tell them what I felt and a sea of faces looked down on me. But through it all a strange feeling of calm and peacefulness filled my being and I knew it would be all right.

I was suffering a stroke.


I missed my brother’s 70th.To make a long story short…I was rushed to a hospital in N.H. and then was transported by ambulance to Portland, Maine, and admitted into Maine Medical Center. This was done in order that I should be closer to my family and doctors.Tests were started. The left side of my brain had been ‘attacked’ when the blood flow was interrupted or stopped due to a blood clot. A significant part of my left temporal lobe was affected and this left me with right-sided paralysis and Aphasia. Aphasia is a condition where language problems make it difficult to talk the way I used to and makes writing very difficult for me. Something that was so important to me in my life [I have worked as a newspaper reporter and fashion editor in the past…and wrote poetry.] …. was now something that was so difficult. My understanding and comprehension of speech were unimpaired, but speech itself became hard as my speech related muscles wouldn’t cooperate and my brain could not find the words to say what I wanted to. But what was more important to me, as I lay on the hospital bed with my family around me…could I draw??? I managed to get the nurse to understand what I wanted…. a pencil and paper. She brought them and everyone looked on as I sketched an eye, a horse head……….okay… I could live with the limitations I had a this point. I could draw, and this would mean I could paint. Life was good!!!

In the week that passed in between hospital tests, MRI’s and blood work, I sketched some, slept a lot, but I knew I needed to get home, to our quiet farm where I would be alone with my husband, see my Corgi and our horses, see and smell our gardens and get down to the business of getting better…. to getting ‘Kathi’ back!

This year and half that has passed has been difficult. Our horses became my therapy, as I brushed them while walking with a cane, my hand and arm gained strength. I cleaned stalls needing the muck fork to help stand up with. Throwing hay and lifting shaving bags became my upper body strengthen exercises. I had a speech therapist come and work with me in our home, who helped me start to get over some the Aphasia problems…and an occupational therapist to help me get my hand coordination back. And I painted…and drew and I slept. I slept a lot. I still sleep during the day needing naps to replenish my energy.

I started a blog after my therapist suggested that I do it as an exercise to recapture my language skills. Each and every blog entry has my recovery in it. Metaphorically each of my paintings tells of my struggles and my victories…most in the form of equine art.But through it all I knew that my attitude about what I was going through was more important to me that what had happened to me. My recovery depended on my attitude. I cannot control what happens to me in life, but I can control my attitude. And that is my life’s mantra now……….’if it’s gonna be..it’s up to me.’

And I have also been blessed with a wonderful husband who has been beside me through it all. Les has been the wind beneath my wings.So in a nutshell….that is my story. Why I blog.. and the road leading up to the beginning of my blog. That is my story and I am sticking with it.

SO…. next week, May 2009, we head down to Lexington, KY. for my solo show and a chance to explain to folks about stroke and the ramifications of it on it’s victims and their caregivers. I am one of the “lucky” stroke survivors…After a life time of suffering TIA’s [ little mini strokes ] and not knowing what they were really about…I feel a need now to tell more people about stroke and it’s symptoms. If I had paid attention to the TIA’S over the years before, maybe today I wouldn’t have the language skills deficit and the right-sided physical problems that I have today. What I didn’t tell doctors kept me from having the care I should have had before the stroke even happened. If I can help one person from experiencing stroke…it is worth it. Folks just don’t know ……maybe I can help?

May on the bright side….I do hope to see you at my reception…May 8th…5 to 8…be there!!! I will be looking for you!!!

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

Beautiful Rolex Weekend!

I am so glad to have gotten the chance to go up to Lexington this past weekend to revel in the wonderful world that is the Rolex CCI**** Kentucky 3 day event ! I almost missed going this year and I know that I just can’t let that happen again. Seeing the olympic caliber horses and riders who you know have worked so hard to make it to this level of the sport…it’s just exhilarating to say the least. Following the Eventing USA blog has helped me keep up with who was going to be competing this year…and only added to the excitement and anticipation. The photo that I posted here is of Syd Kent, ridden by Jan Byyny from the USA.

I certainly filled up my flash cards full of references for future artwork for sure. Each year my photography skills get just a little better and more and more of the photos are keepers. I never claimed to be a sports photographer, I really have to respect the work that those people do! I work from my own reference shots and so between all of them…I can get the info that I need.

My husband went with me for the first time and he was enthusiastic learning about the sport. To see him also appreciate something that I feel so passionate about warmed my heart :-) . We had a great time enjoying the crystal clear spring days. 364 days and counting until next year’s Rolex……. :-) :-) .

©Copyright 2008 by Joan Jannaman. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit Joan Jannaman’s website.

Time For Rolex!


When you drop the name ‘Rolex’ around most horse people, we don’t think watches, we think the top three-day event in North America, held in Lexington, Kentucky at the Kentucky Horse Park this time of year. Thing are getting into gear today, with the jog, and competition starts tomorrow with the dressage portion of the event. When I got the reminder this morning that this was Rolex week, I thought I’d try to do a painting with that theme!

I’ve only been to Rolex once, and that was ten or eleven years ago – I’ve lost track! I only took around six rolls of film, so I have one or two photos around. Today’s painting is from one of those photos. I decided to go with one I took the day before competition, of one of the Canadian participants schooling her horse in dressage. Of course we all love cross-country, which takes place on Saturday, but dressage is to eventing what tracking is to Schutzhund (that’s a dog sport, for those who don’t know)…if you only come for the thrills, you’re not a true fan!

This is just a small painting, 5 x 7 oil on masonite, with the limited palette, and my goal was to keep it loose, allowing little bit of the burnt sienna toned canvas to peek through. For some reason my brain was taxed after yesterday’s painting – maybe that was just Cad Red toxicity! – but today’s I found much more relaxing. It might have been I didn’t have the same expectation – trying to do a horse and rider in small format like this was a challenge for me, and I was reasonably happy with the level of success.

The best part is, it’s only 5pm! Time to go out and feed the ponies, and then entertain the possibility of taking it easy tonight…unless of course I decide the to watch the hockey game, where Les Canadiens face elimination! All right, so I can’t have everything…

See you tomorrow!

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

It Might Look Messy

But there really is a method to my mess…it works for me. I think I have explained before, in previous posts, that I do not paint in the time honored traditional ways. My palette is not set up traditionally. My entire studio is none conformist! The story of my life!!

I have been asked by several folks, artists and clients, to show a peek at my palette…so aiming to please.. here it is! ” Ah?” You say…..”It’s a mess!!” Maybe by some standards it is. But the most important fact is that I get the paint out of this shamble and do manage to put it down in the right spots on the canvas or board, or paper!

The other question I am frequently asked is “What colors do you use?”
At any given time I might be using Naples Yellow, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red Scarlet, Ultramarine Blue Deep, Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Paynes Gray, Shiva Violet, Raw Umber, Venetian Red, Halftone Black, Golden Ochre, Raw Sienna, Terra Verte, [ I LOVE Terra Verte!!] Cadmium Green and of course Titanium White. I don’t use a Ivory Black but will often mix my own black black if I need it.

All these colors are employed my casein painting…and I use them on canvas, paper, gessoed board…I love them!

I also love watercolors , but that is another ball of wax!

So my palette might be messy…I agree!! But I think this painting [ "Driven" ] is neat! I am hating to part with it. I sometimes get that feeling about a finished work and hang on to them…this is one of those! But”Driven” is slated to hang in the Gallery B show next month. We are starting to pack works that will be shipped down to Lexington over the next two weeks. My shipper is snoring on the couch at the moment! So I will continue to paint!

Doesn’t “Driven” look lovely framed?

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

The Equestrian


I am painting today when I should be getting things together ‘better’ for my solo show with Gallery B in Lexington, KY. in May. But I really believe one [ meaning me!] needs to paint while the muse is hot. So I finished this mixed media painting [ 10 x 10 1/4"] of my mother as “The Equestrian”. As I explained before in an early post on my blog, and will explain again…..I am working on a series of works depicting my family and times in their lives. I feel a need at this point in my life to make a statement about my family’s past. I am hoping that someone will connect with this statement and understand what I am trying to say. At times I don’t really know What I am saying?!! So good luck to us all!! The wind has kicked up a notch here on the farm and gray clouds have replaced the sun that shone earlier. Spring is being it usual fickle self. I don’t mind though as the promise of bulbs bursting and flowers blooming is so evident! So while the weather brews a storm, I will take care of things that need being done for the May show and think about what I plan on doing in the gardens when weather permits. It will at some point! It always does!

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

Feeling “Driven”

The rain is coming down and hopefully will melt a lot of the piled up snow in our barn yard and gardens. I took a break from the studio yesterday while the sun was out and got some raking done…and today I suffer for it. Guess I discovered muscles that weren’t worked over the winter, even with daily workouts mucking stalls!!!

This morning, before the rain started, I was able to get a shot of the latest casein off the easel, a 20 x 16″ done on board….and I am calling it “Driven”. This painting will be going to my solo show next month. The show is called “Finding My Voice” and will be hung at Gallery B in the city of Lexington, KY. I am so happy to say that a portion of all sales in this show will be donated to The National Stroke Foundation. I will be post more on it later.

I have quite a few shows on the agenda this summer and will keep you all up to date on my website Events page. It seems lately that I am juggling too many balls in the air!! But I plan to keep them all airborne! suffice it to say…”I am “Driven!”!!

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

Ordinary Horse?


Looking at this photo, you might think this is an ordinary horse…but if you thought that, you’d be thinking wrong. This is John Henry at the Kentucky Horse Park. What a treasured memory it was, the day I saw him there.
Donna Ridgway Posted by Picasa

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

Fenced In Up Close

Again I have been asked for a bigger up close shot of this painting. I hope this works as being up close enough. This painting is varnished and will be going down to Lexington’s Gallery B.

Today I am busy getting works labeled and wrapped to head down to Skyline Farm ’s “Fertile Ground ” Art Show 2008 that opens next Friday night. Sept. 12 th, from 5 to 7 pm to meet the artists!

I am looking forward to seeing everyone there!!

©Copyright 2008 by Kathi Peters. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit Kathi Peters’s website.

Paintings From Kentucky

Painting of horses grazing in kentucky copyright Kathi Peters, all rights reserved.

My trip to Kentucky will afford me many scenes that will be painted and cut. Bobbye and I drove the back roads out side of Lexington and idyllic scenes such as this were everywhere… Miles of board fencing as far as the eye could see and pastures with grazing horses and mares heavy with foal lined the roadside. Everywhere I looked I saw a painting begging to be done!!! This 10 x 8″ watercolor is the first of many watercolors from this trip.

Bobbye took this shot of me taking a shot at Keeneland…
I am working on a casein painting from that great photo-op too. My studio is a mess….papers and photos everywhere……the gardens outside the studio need work, and a garden edging job I started this morning on our back gardens is strewn across the lawn…..I am feeling the need to paint and that takes presidence over anything else at this point!!
So I am back to the easel…….! Driven!!

©Copyright 2008 by Kathi Peters. See original post here.
To learn more about this artist, visit Kathi Peters’s website.

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