Chaos

I'm beyond mid-life crisis age-wise but I'm experiencing the symptoms. Bored with the muse and disillusioned over changes in the racing biz, I'm restless about the future direction of my artistic life. There's a new crowd in the paddock who possess different goals and priorities. Ownership has undergone major restructuring and the "Kings & Queens" in the sport no longer reign supreme. Race track management have their own profit-driven agendas with little respect for tradition and history within a very old and storied sport. Loud, repeated calls for proactive changes in medication use, infractions, after care for retired horses, moral responsibility, etc., are agreed upon by the industry insiders but are rarely enacted and those that attempt to implement change are confronted with bickering power struggles. It's wearisome to an old race tracker like me who dearly loves the game.

Over a year ago I channel surfed onto a PBS documentary that quickened my pulse rate. I won't spend a lot of time explaining, you can read about it in my blog post here. The abbreviated version: Indian Relay. Tribes compete in a horse race (of a very different color) that I found to be excruciatingly exciting. I was so jazzed and inspired. Re-energized, if you will.

The plan was to attend their national championships taking place in Billings, Montana after the Saratoga race meet concluded. For reasons that would require another blog post, it was not to be. Undaunted, I returned to the documentary, studying it in it's entirety - frame by frame. With my knowledge of equine anatomy and referencing the scenes illustrating this extreme, dangerous sport, I decided to forge ahead anyway.

This is the first of several planned paintings:

The title is Chaos, and for good reason. This is the thrilling part of the race - the exchange of riders as the team catches the incoming horse (at a gallop) while the rider simultaneously leaps off in mid-air and then frantically swings/jumps/leapfrogs onto the next. Collision and confusion. Pure adrenaline. The riding skills and horsemanship are superb. All bareback.

You know I'll be there this year, for sure.
Sharon

Past Meets Present

I know I told this story last year but it's worth repeating. As trainer Leon (Blue) Blusiewicz stood over my shoulder last fall watching me paint the brilliant foliage at Oklahoma, he said an old-time trainer from the 1950's told him (Leon) that the last stall in this barn was occupied by none other that the great Man 'O War. Here's a link back to my original post Oklahoma Lore.

You all know I love a great story. It's certainly plausible as so many famous horses down through history have passed through the stable gates of Saratoga. So I just had to return to Barn 61 and set up behind Gary Sciacca's barn to paint the scene from the opposite side. I had a clear view of the infamous stall with the training track in the distance. Right now Barn 61 and about six others are housing Todd Pletcher's many two-year-olds.

The weather was beautiful and forecast to stay that way for a few days. I worked on a fairly large panel (for plein air), 16"x20" intending to take my time on this piece and return multiple days. In three days, painting about 2-2 1/2 hours each session, I completed  the painting I'm calling Past Meets Present. 

I was smitten by the Italian exercise boy who snuck down to the end of the barn for a smoke and a text. Into my painting he went. Later, the barn foreman came over to check out my progress and exclaimed "hey, he's not supposed to be back here!" 

Inadvertently busted.

Past Meets Present, 16"x20", oil on panel

You can make out a chestnut in the first stall. He's possibly looking for something or someone, or perhaps the scent is unfamiliar.

Okay, I couldn't resist.
Sharon

Oklahoma Lore

I managed this little plein air sketch this week when the weather warmed up. My biggest challenge to painting outside as the weather cools is keeping my hands comfortable. Everything else is easy...long underwear and my Ariats with Thinsulate keep my core and feet warm, but the fingers - even with hand warmers - get painfully cold. It's always been a problem even when I was young. As a last ditch effort, I ordered SmartWool gloves today as suggested by another artist. Realistically, I have to accept that temps under 40 call for studio work, as much as I'd love to paint outside in the snow.

I set up on one of the trainer's viewing stands, facing the back of one of Pletcher's barns across from the track at Oklahoma (Saratoga Race Course). The brilliant gold of the tree against the barn in shadow on an overcast day was irresistible.

Gold Tree, 8"x10", oil on panel

Because I was next to the clocker's stand, a few trainers came and went, ignoring me for the most part. An older trainer, Leon "Blue", was curious about my painting and told me an interesting little snippet of history. He stated that over 40 years ago (Leon's probably in his early 80's), another old timer informed him that the stall on the far right was used by Man o' War. He added that he didn't know how true that was but it's interesting anyway and could indeed be possible. I emphatically agreed.

If it's not too cold tomorrow morning, I'll try to get to the track to take advantage of the fleeting time I have left while the horses are still here. I'll go and stand in that very stall and attemp to invoke the spirit of one of greatest race horses in history. I'm not the zen master I wish I was but sometimes...just sometimes...if I'm quiet...I can pick up vibes.

It's just so wonderfully romantic,
Sharon
P.S. Talk about history - the fences in my sketch enclose the remains of the old Horse Haven track...easily 150 years old.