Connection, Our own Butterfly Effect..

Imp the Pony Makes The Stars The 'butterfly effect' reminds us that we are all connected, that the gently flapping wings of a butterfly in brazil can result in a tornado.. (or willy~willy) .. in ..well.. Australia! So here is a new little painting from me, a tiny artistic mirror reflecting some of my thoughts out into the Universe and back again to me. My long distance friend Elaine who runs a wonderful Animal Rescue Farm 'Hector's Gate' in the UK gave me permission to use a photo of her cheeky little pinto 'Imp' in my art.. I envisioned him having his own Butterfly Effect on the Universe! Splashing the crystal waters in the Cave at the edge of the World, sparkling droplets spiralling up into the skies, hanging there suspended as silver, twinkling stars. From my vantage point Down~under, I can hear the 'plink' and feel the silvery Shimmer!

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Tender Moment

A new watercolour painting this week with a very different subject matter to my usual equines and canines! I find the patterning on the graceful Giraffe endlessly intrigueing and earlier this year I 'discovered' a Unicorn with subtle Giraffe~type patterns:

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Voyager Unicorn aceo

A recurring image from my dreams. The solitary unicorn, sailing the oceans on a sturdy vessel. An albatross flies as a guide for the beautiful horned horse. This aceo sold on ebay a few weeks ago, and I now want to paint a series of voyager unicorns! 💛

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Maternal Beauty and Strength in A3.

"Annie and Bella" blessed my Studio with their beauty, presence, and their palpable bond in July this year, but I couldn't yet share my progress pics as the artwork was a Commission from a daughter to her mum. But here they are, my vision of them anyway. My pencil marks on paper begged these girls' amazing essential essence to join me in moments of deep peace and remembering.

Beautiful polo pony whose name I never learned, her rider being the focus in the Clients' Commission.. shone with beauty, self awareness, a calm attention to her job. Allowing her rider to take the limelight, she asks only to be treated kindly. To remove saddle, bridle, martingales and boots, to roll in crystal sand bed.. horses need no recognition such as fame, winning, prize money; they move complete and fulfilled in their own Universe.  

Work In Progress. 'Friesian Stallion'.

Available for Purchase.

Reflecting on the early days of my attempts at becoming a professional Equine Artist, I remembered my love of drawing beautiful horses with the freedom of not having to conform to anyone's vision but my own (inner) one. That was in 2003. This past 7 years I have completed many commissions, miniatures, different subjects and styles have flown across my desk(s). I have loved every minute of it. But in working on this 18" x 24" drawing of a Friesian stallion, I'm revisiting that thrill of freedom in the work.:-)

'Firm Foundations' Graphite 16" x 20"

I live in one of the earliest settlements in Australia, the Hawkesbury River region. Governor Lachlan Macquarie was Sydney's first Governor, ordering and supervising the creation of buildings such as the first Barracks stables which still stands as the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. The Hawkesbury Regional Gallery's current Exhibition commemorates his BiCentennary.
For the past three months every spare minute (few though they seem to be!) has been spent actually IN this drawing! I feel as though I have been wandering the stables behind the Domain, hearing the shouts of men as they saddle their horses before riding the dirt roads of Sydney town 1810, and seeing the horrific conditions the early convicts who built this city had to endure. I know the heat and dust and flies.. I smell the incredible sea salt air of Sydney Harbour on a Spring day and hear those sea birds wheel and soar high in our beautiful cerulean sky.. Those horses who were shipped across the ocean to live here (months spent sailing away from the cool green of England) surely deserve a memorial to their struggle to adapt to this land, to temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius (100F).
I drew an Arabian mare as tribute to the Endurance horses who now bring fame to the Sydney through to Hunter region, with the lower Blue Mountains being some of the best Endurance country in the World!
Private Collection.

One of the wonderful things about art is it's gift of opening up the imagination, of allowing my often repressed thought processes full stretch, enticing me into running wild, walking, diving, swimming into other worlds and meeting unbelievably exciting beings. These are four of them: unicorns, seals, waterhorses, moon mares!

The Lacemakers, Watercolour

In November / December, I showed steps in the creation of 'The Lacemakers'. I began the piece as a learning process, (rather than with the intention of selling)~ combining transparent watercolours over the graphite drawing. I have had mixed feelings about the results, thinking I am losing some of the delicacy of the graphite, while knowing (with the coaching of a dear friend and amazing artist) that colour has it's own magic! But as with all learning curves, they take on their own life, carrying us forward on journeys which are their own Reward! "THE LACEMAKERS" almost "finished":