Chief Progresses

This boy is special. The sponsor of the rescue project has requested a Native American theme for his own personal pooch. Still handing me artistic free rein (love it!), his only request was to portray historical Indian chiefs.

I've learned so much while researching this entire greyhound project. From NFL team colors (home and away) to deep sea fishing boats to the Seven Cherokee Clans. For instance, Geronimo was not a chief but rather a medicine man and a fierce and unscrupulous warrior. It's not horse racing but I'm enjoying the process immensely.

 

The Eagle is a totem and the Blue Sky is a Cherokee clan.

Below is Chief Crazy Horse and Wolf and Bear totem. The sketched-in chief on the right is Robert Benge. He was born in the eighteen century to a Cherokee mother and an Irish father. With his red hair and light skin, he was often mistaken for an anglo and easily infiltrated white settlements, effectively wreaking havoc. I couldn't find any historical portraits of him so I have to improvise. He will have flowing red hair!

This is the finished portrait of Chief Sitting Bull (along with Deer totem). There are lots of black and white photographs of him available on the internet as well as Crazy Horse and Chief Joseph. Which makes one pause...who did the photographing and how did they talk Sitting Bull into...well, sitting? Imagine big box cameras and l-o-n-g poses.

Painting on these small fiberglass forms creates distinct challenges. The concave/convex curves create optical illusions. Something to keep in the forefront when rendering a portrait.

do' da da go' hv i,
Sharon

Old Photos of Us (really old)

I finally did the inevitable: cleaned out the old 35mm photographs that were stacked in the studio closet as tall as I. Purging to the nth degree. I've been intending to do this for...well...several years. Shoe boxes filled with photos I thought I would need for reference forever. There was a time when, as an artist, if I wanted to paint a starting gate I required lots of decent photos of a starting gate. Not so much anymore with the instantaneous internet availability of almost everything. Not to mention digital cameras.

So, I thought I would share with you the ones I deemed worth saving. Maybe even in a couple of these blog posts. After all, 10+ stuffed shoe boxes have been honed down to one medium size carton. They're the best of an arsenal.

Here I am ponying one of Michael's fillies at Bay Meadows in '93.

Michael galloping one of his own horses on the Oklahoma Training Track
at Saratoga in the mid-80's.

Don't you love this? Michael training babies with his Irish friend John at a ranch in Half Moon Bay just south of San Francisco. They made their way down these magnificent cliffs and galloped on the beach. One time I went with him and there was this guy jumping up and down like a crane with his parachute glider. The young horses were wary but curious and they all made their way past without incident. That's Michael in the blue jacket.

Gold panning in Alaska in the early '90's.

I went on an all-girl camping trip in Arizona with a couple of my best girlfriends. On a very remote section of road on the Apache reservation we came upon an area littered on both sides with a vast amount of animal bones. So eerie and I was mesmerized with the scene of destruction. The margarita in the plastic cup added to my morbid fascination.

“In solitude we give passionate attention to our lives, to our memories, to the details around us.” - Virginia Woolf

I Want to Go to Ireland

Yes I do. What wonderful, engaging people the Irish are. And they love to party and they love horse racing. What more could I ask for?

Moi presenting my painting of "Curlin" to Mayor Mick Deely of Newbridge, Ireland.

In my biased opinion, I think the Irish are the best horsemen and women. Observing their fine skills while working amongst them in my California days, these people really love their horses. You can read more about our Ocala - Newbridge Twinning Ceremony here and view more photos here.

After the ceremony, it was on to a perfect day of racing at the OBS Day of Champions Presented by Darley. Weather was outstanding and the crowd was huge. Photo ops abound as I hang out at the 6 1/2f pole on the outside fence and get shots like this:

Pulling up after the big race, how often do fourteen horses stay together in one frame? Looks like a painting to me...

The day ended with an incredible party hosted by Darley at Golden Ocala. First class all the way.

"Poverty, I realized, wasn't only a lack of financial resources; it was isolation from the kind of people that could help you make more of yourself." - Keith Ferrazzi

Just a Social Butterfly

Friday I drove out to OBS to watch the two-year-olds breeze. This use to be a mandatory requirement for buyers, but now the videos are available online, on your cell, on your ipod, whatever. Technology changes everything. Birdsong and morning sunshine not included.

Saturday night I attended a party for Ocala's soon-to-be-twinned city Newbridge, Ireland at the Hilton. I asked - sister city and twin city are the same. I forgot to ask if we could be assigned more than one, therefore, San Rossore, Italy hangs in the balance. Regardless, the Irish are the most enjoyable people to party with in the entire free world. Tomorrow morning ushers in the official ceremony of "twinning". Then it's off to the races at OBS.

Relief news: Michael and I are on the guest list for the Darley party at Golden Ocala. Duh, it's Monday night, not Sunday as I previously assumed.

“If this humor be the safety of our race, then it is due largely to the infusion into the American people of the Irish brain.” - William Howard Taft