October has been a busy month! First I went to Middleburg, Virginia to mix business with pleasure as I visited my daughter, Lauren, and called upon some decorators and shops in the area to show them my work. Then I spent a couple of days teaching a class in Appomattox, VA. It was so interesting to see a different part of Virginia and meet a bunch of great people there.
Then last week my husband, Bart, and I went to Lexington, Kentucky to watch Lauren ride in an event at the Kentucky Horse Park. If you were to ask me which place has prettier countryside, I would be stumped! There certainly are more trees and woods and pretty vistas in Virginia, but the sheer number of horses and board fences dotting the landscape in Lexington are breathtaking. I think I need to go back to both and get some foxhunting images in my head!
From the National Sporting Museum, Middleburg, VA THE HUNT IN BELVOIR VALE, C.1835 John Ferneley, Sr (British, 1781-1860)
While I was in Middleburg, Lauren and I visited the National Sporting Museum. This is a gallery full of exquisite horse paintings. Just being in the same room with several George Stubbs paintings is enough to keep me very happy for a long time! I gain so much inspiration from the masters of equine art. At the Horse Park we checked out the Museum of the Horse and again, I was inspired by several lovely paintings, bronzes and a collection of old horse “stuff” to make your head spin.
Now I am armed with all kinds of ideas for new work. I am working on a foxhunt painting commission which is begging to be painted. The prepared canvas is sitting here waiting for me, the sketch has been made. Now I just have to get a few large floorcloth projects out of the way so I can sit down and paint those horses and hounds!
