I am still here... honest...

Okay I know I have not posted on the blog for far too long, no wonder I don't have many followers yet! Embarrased....

I am pleased to say that I am fully booked with commissions at the moment, which considering the current climate has got to be a bonus. I know many artists have had very slow sales in the galleries this year (as have I!)

I have lots of work lined up for 2010, amongst which is submitting a portfolio for consideration to become a full member of the Society of Equestrian Artists... I am very nervous about it I must admit.....

I am also the exhibition Secretary for the Society of Equestrian Artist's Open Exhibition at the Mall Galleries next August. I will be posting details in January about this.

I also committed to several exhibitions and shows in a blase way, including another local solo exhibition at Pendre Art Gallery in Cardigan, to coincide with Barley Saturday in April. More on this with images of course, nearer the date!

November 19th saw the arrival of my long awaited Spanish Don! Here is a piccy of him the day after he arrived. He is settling in well and as you can see from the pic has loads of filling out to do. He is also going to be a rather big chap as he is already 15.2 hh at 20 months old! I have to keep reminding myself he is only a baby!

Handsome boy...... I have to thank Rachel and Paul at St Piran's Stud for firstly allowing me to purchase him, and secondly looking after him so well for the first 18 months of his life. I also have to give HUGE thanks to Pete and Lynette Luck of Luck's Transport, see their website at http://www.horsetransport.org.uk/ who did the most professional and horse friendly job of transporting him here to Wales. I would recommend them unreservedly, thanks guys.



Better finish with some art work I guess! This is a pencil sketch of a friend's arab.

And here are two of my none equestrian works, the first is called "Old Boys" and is of Welsh Mountain rams, it has been sold. The second is called "Eclectic Blue" and is of the mantel shelf in my friend's house in the beautiful Alpujarras in Spain. It is currently hanging in my hallway, waiting for the right person to see it! Just finally I will say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everybody, or if you like Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Da ( I think I spelt that right....)

Here's my boy..

The nw racecourse at Ffos Las has its official opening meeting on Friday 28th August.
I am pleased to say that the racecourse is displaying some of my pieces in the owners and trainers area, there will be more racing paintings to follow as I start painting scenes at Ffos Las, exclusively for the course, which I am really looking forward to. You can take a look at the fantastic new facilities at the track and book tickets etc at www.ffoslasracecourse.com

Just time to pop in the latest picture of my handsome Spanish colt Doncel
Picture reproduced by kind permission of St Pirans Stud

Its been a while......

Well, its been quite a while! I need a slap for not getting my behind in gear!

Quite a lot has happened since I last posted, the main one being that my other half Gordon had his leg broken (kicked by a horse, not the horses fault I hasten to add!!) so the last three months have seen me up to my neck in it... Oh well.. Gordon has finally recovered well enough to go back to part time work this week - thank goodness- Its a measure I suppose as to how bad the injury was that it took so long to heal as he has carried on working with various broken bones in the past.. Hey Ho..

So I have been busy doing quite a bit of the horse related work, including backing the lovely Sunny one of our home bred horses. He has now gone off to a really lovely home in Somerset where I hope he will be everything his new owner dreams of.

On the painting front, I was really excited at the beginning of the month to have all four of my entries accepted for the Society of Equestrian Artists Summer Exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London. The exhibition is open from 27th July to 2nd August. The pics accepted are reproduced below...

First up, "Al Kabir" a gorgeous pure bred arabian stallion owned by Val Price West of "White Hill Equine" Val sells horse supplements such as seaweed and garlic, as well as original equestrian art and a fantastic selection of cards and prints - including mine! - from her website www.whitehillequine.co.uk and her trade stand which visits shows throughout Wales. I recommend a visit to both!

"Al Kabir"

This next picture is called "Heads of Spain" These two noble horses were part of a parade in the middle of Granada in Spain, over one hundred and fifty ridden stallions filled the streets, a breathtaking spectacle, the Spanish riders wear traditional costume and many are superb horsemen (and women!) There are many more paintings in the pipeline of Spanish horses and their riders, I will post them as they are completed.


This next painting was inspired by a girl I saw working closely with her horse in Golega in Portugal.

"Girl with a Pearl Earring" The title is a nod to the master artist Vermeer, one of his most famous paintings has this title, the earring is much more obvious in Vermeer's picture though!


Finally, as always, I return to my cobs! This action painting shows threeWelsh Cob stallions with their handlers vying for the Judge's attention at Lampeter Stallion Show.




I will be back soon with up to date pics and news of my Spanish colt Doncel, who is growing like a weed and looks fab! Can't wait until November when he finally comes home to Wales!!

March into Spring!

Well, I thought I ought to get a second post done! Its been a busy week, I have got one commission done and ready to send this week. Plus I present a prize of a painting at the Welsh Pony and Cob Society AGM every year. - This was presented on Saturday! - unfortunately I could not be there this year and sent the picture to the Society offices by post. Not amused to hear that it arrived with the glass smashed to smithereens As it was last minute the picture had to be presented without glass in it.. Arrgh..!
It has made me reconsider my packaging but I can't see a way of improving it and it was stuck all over with FRAGILE tape but this has not happened before and I must have sent dozens of pictures out in the past, so I guess I have to chalk it up as one of those things..

Onwards. I have lots to do, another commission of a lovely chestnut mare, and I am also doing new work for a solo exhibition in a local art gallery - Pendre Art - that views in April. More to follow here soon!

I will be working on my entries for the Society of Equestrian Artists Annual Exhibition in London too - I am an Associate Member - so I will also post those as they progress.

And also a mini exhibition down in the West of Cornwall at St Pirans Spanish Horse Stud. Who are hosting an open day this summer. I have special interest in the Spanish horses as I have just bought a superb foal from the stud this is him! With his mum Fraccion. He will be a year old in April and you will be hearing a lot more about him! His sire is the successful dressage stallion Enorme, from the Susaeta Stud near Madrid.

I had been looking for a Spanish horse for a long time and finally found him! Take a look at St Pirans website they are very special people and very special horses.

Hello World

I finally got around to creating a blog (after a lot of nagging!) so that I can share some of my work as it is being created! I hope that my ramblings will give you an insight into the way I work and will, I hope at least sometimes, be interesting.

Its a new thing for me so bear with me as I get to know my way around.

...In the meantime, "here's one I did earlier!...."


This painting is called "Girl With a Pearl Earring" (tongue in cheek after the Vermeer painting of the same name! Yes she is wearing pearl earrings!) It was painted using reference material gathered at the Golega horse fair in Portugal. This week long Horse festival is an absolute must for anybody at all interested in the Iberian breeds, The whole town of Golega is taken over and every available space is turned over to stabling in courtyards and even rooms in the actual houses! From dawn to the early hours literally hundreds of magnificent horses are paraded and shown off by their owners, it is a jaw dropping experience and one I will never forget. In the centre of the town is in place of a market square a large areana with a dirt track all the way around it. Here the horses parade and competitions and displays take place late into the evening. I will certainly return one day!