In the Studio

I’m a little behind in posting here, but it’s been a horribly rough week and a half or so. My horse pulled up wounded in some form, had to get the vet out and he went over him from stem to stern. Best we can figure is he strained a muscle or pinched a nerve, likely from slipping on some ice as it’s that time of year with the big spring melt on and lots of freezing/thawing all around. We’ve got him on Bute for a week and so far it seems to be helping in a big way. He would barely walk before, the pain seemed to be too great, and now at least he’s moving around fairly freely and getting to the hay and water no problem.

Anyhoo! With all this going on, I’ve been making frequent trips out to the farm to check on him and we’re actually enjoying a special bonding time throughout all this. Today was one such day, and after feeding him his medicine, and grooming him and just being generally cuddly….I went and grabbed my new pastel pochade box, plunked myself down on a stool in the straw of the cow shelter we have him holed up on for resting. I began sketching out the scene in front of me, where he was dozing and I could see him through the fence rails. But wouldn’t ya know it, by the time I got the boards and sky blocked in, he moved! Soooooo I ended up finishing it without him in it. I’m calling this one “Donkey’s Point of View”, as they do have a little miniature donkey out there at the farm, and I was sitting at about her eye level.

Donkey’s Point of View 8″ x 8 1/2″ pastel

Afterwards, the sun was still shining bright - gotta get used to these longer days now that spring is finally here, yeah!! So I went out for a hike in the woods and plunked myself down in the melting snow right about here, and while my husky and the farm dog were busy out carousing around not far from me, I was busily sketching away. Here is the result of about an hour’s time sitting in the warm sunlight…didn’t even need a jacket today!

Spring Thaw 10″ x 12 1/2″ pastel