Back from New Mexico and Arizona

Where do I start? Today was a long road trip from Durango to Morrison but the scenery was glorious! It is too early to go to sleep and I am too tired to read and I had no idea how I wanted to return to blogging. After a nine day road trip into New Mexico and Arizona I have returned weary but quite content.

This piece is a bit of a departure for me and I am not sure how I feel about it. I don't normally choose to work on pieces that have so many horses in such close proximity.

I started working on it a while ago and I am not certain if it is finished but I wanted to post it as a tribute to my road trip and New Mexico artist John Farnsworth. He paints amazing oils of horses on larger than life-size canvases and there are always many horse heads close together. It was a pleasure to visit his gallery in Taos which made me think and dream that one day maybe I will have my own gallery too! Not to mention giving me the inspiration to post this piece.

Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Adventures of Kairos and Zephyr

If horses could grin then these two certainly are. These two characters seem to hang out and have many conversations along the fence rail. Could be they are talking about ole Scooter since he isn't around. They don't always invite him to play with them.

You remember Scooter from yesterday's post......Zephyr wouldn't pass the stick or play nicely with him. Its tough when you are not one of the popular kids on the block, or paddock any way.

Today I went down to Denver to the Horse Expo and ran into a fellow horse photographer Carol Walker. She has done an amazing job photographing the American mustang in their native habitat and has a great book of her work called "Wild Hoofbeats America's Vanishing Wild Horses". Check it out at:www.wildhoofbeats.com. She and I both donate part of the proceeds from the sale of our work to The Cloud Foundation. To learn more about this admirable cause go to: www.thecloudfoundation.org/home.html. The Cloud foundation is dedicated to the preservation of wild horses on our public lands and the protection of Cloud's herd in the Arrowhead Mountains of Montana.

I am leaving for a road trip to Arizona tomorrow and won't be back for nine days. I don't take my computer but I will be taking my friend the camera and hope to have lots of new photos to work on and share with you when I get back!

Have a super weekend and I'll be blogging later!
Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Adventure of Zephyr & Kairos: Boys Games

Like most young boys these colts are no different - they love to play with sticks! Meet Scooter. He is a little Peruvian Paso who tries to play with Zephyr and Kairos. Just like children, sometimes they exclude him from the fun. Today Zephyr has a stick and seems to want to try to pass it to Scooter.

Kairos is minding his own business behind Scooter which is very unusual for Kairos. He is Mr. Mastermind the busybody. Scooter is starting to approach Zephyr. You want to play with me? he seems to say.


Turning quickly Zephyr says if you want it come and get it. Ha, Ha fooled you! What a tease that Zephyr is. And little Scooter seems a bit displeased. I can't say I blame him.


This is a close up where you can see Scooter is saying Hey, play fair!

Stay tuned for more on the next adventures of Kairos and Zephyr!
Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Almost an Appaloosa!

Today was almost a wash for working on any images. The whole day up until an hour ago was spent working on my website; adding PayPal buttons on a Flash site is a wee bit challenging if a person wants to have a shopping cart. Every time I went back to create a new button in PayPal it had logged me off. Quite annoying but for my own security I suppose. And then there was dealing with the folks at PayPal which was a bit frustrating. Lots of time on hold while they searched their databases for an answer! I do like being able to work on my own site for the simple reason the turnaround time is as quick as I want it to be!

Mid-afternoon I did escape and go spend time with the horses. Always refreshing!

I received news yesterday that I was accepted into Denver's Downtown Art Festival this year. It is held in May and this year is its 11th year. This will be my first big juried show and also non-horse event where I am showing my work. In April I will be at Dressage for the Cure in Colorado Springs and in June at Polo for the Cure in Littleton. Lots to do to get ready!

My other website features dogs, horses, and graphic design. It is a bit of a hodgpodge and I wanted to update some of my dog work. I particularly like this dalmatian with the patchy snow in the background. It plays nicely off of his coat. This piece has sat unfinished for a while but tonight it seemed to all come together.

Well I must say it is late as usual and I can tell the sandman is arriving so until next time!
Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Adventures of Zephyr and Kairos

I am thinking of branching "The Adventures of Zephyr and Kairos" to their own Blog but for now they will remain here. While I am relatively new to this whole social media thing (and it is a blast!) it still requires a fair amount of time and effort to set all these things up! And like most artists I would rather be creative than a techie. Most of my life has been in the tech industry and I thought I had left software (other than Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver, and Painter) behind for ever! What a rude awakening! OK enough of the diversion.

Colorado weather can be really extreme but I wouldn't have it any other way. This day started out warm, and bright and sunny. There was a 50% chance of snow and it blew in with vengeance. Within minutes there was an inch and it stuck to everything. I love that the horses seem oblivious to it and while I walked around brushing myself, Kairos just watched with curiosity. Where was Zephyr? Zephyr is Greek for the gentle god of the west wind. Perhaps the weather was too much for gentle Zephyr...... Well, that isn't really true. Kairos is Mr. Curiosity and needs to be a part of everything and everyone. He just loves to inspect the camera, or anything else for that matter. I thought I was done for the year with snow and winter shots but ya never know which is why my camera is a constant travel companion. There is nothing more rewarding than watching and documenting these fine young windhorses grow up! I have to admit I found a Friesian/paint filly on the internet and I have not stopped thinking about her. I do not need another horse but boy would it make the adventure even more fun than it aready is!

Anyway, it wasn't long before all the horses were running around bucking and playing with each other. It also wasn't long before the sun came back out. I almost couldn't believe how quickly it blew in and out and Spring had returned in all her sunny glory!

Thanks for stopping bye,
Susan
www.windhoresOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Horse as Teacher: The Path to Authenticity With Horses Book- Part 3

After The Gathering: Number XXX4

I have finished my contributing chapter for "Horse as Teacher: The Path to Authenticity" and it has been edited and returned to me for final approval. Everything is right on track! I had to choose an image to go with the chapter so I chose this one. It is called After the Gathering: NumberXXX4. ATG is a series about the gathering and tragic captivity of America's wild horses. XXXX is symbolic for the number tag that hangs from the horses neck.

There are so many photographers who are doing a fabulous job photographing the mustangs in their natural environment that I decided to turn my lens to the horses who no longer have their freedom

The gaze of this horse meets you eye to eye, soul to soul for the eye is a portal into the soul. The chapter I wrote is one of contemplation and personal transformation resulting from the horses mirroring my psyche back to me. Pretty powerful and amazing stuff if we are open and receptive to it!

Happy Monday!
Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com

Appaloosa Portrait: Number Two

Here is my second appaloosa portrait using similar colors to the first. I am working with a bit of blue again and I think it has really enhanced the horse. I will probably do at least one more.

This picture was taken last year at a roundup in Craig Colorado. Every year the Sombrero ranch brings the horses in from their winter wonderland to prepare them to go back to work. The horses are leased out to various dude ranches and outfitters until their season is over. It is truly an amazing site to witness! There is dust flying and horses whinnying and there are about 100 photographers who go to take pictures. The horses just run by and around us and I know that I was so in the moment that I could have been bumped and trampled at any time!

There is something about running horses that mesmerizes people. I think it is because there is such a feeling of freedom and power that accompanies a running horse. We can hear the hooves pounding and the wind on our face even if we have never ridden before. Many people who buy my art do not have horses yet they are so captivated by the archetypal energy associated with the horse.

Tonight I am going downtown to Denver for the First Friday opening. I haven't done that for a while so I am really looking forward to it!

Have a super weekend!
Susan
windhorseOne Studios
www.windhorseone.com