UC Ringmaster Memorial and Book Signing at UConn

UC Ringmaster Memorial and Book Signing at UConn’s Cornucopia Fest!

The Department of Animal Science UC Ringmaster Memorial Ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 29, 2013 at 11:30 AM at the UConn Horse Unit I Tent on Horsebarn Hill Road. Will be held rain or shine.  

Opening Remarks:

  -  Mr. John Bennett, UConn Horse Unit Manager

Memories of Ringmaster:

  -  Mr. John Bennett, UConn Horse Unit Manager

  -  Ms. Cheryl Orcutt, Former Owner of UC Ringmaster

  -  Ms. Helen Scanlon, UConn Alumna & Author of “My Horse, My Heart: The Morgan Horses of the University of Connecticut”

Conclusion
Book Signing - Guests are invited to purchase a signed copy of Helen Scanlon’s newly- released book titled “My Horse, My Heart: The Morgan Horses of the University of Connecticut.”

Helen will be joined by author Patti Brooks, who will be signing her new mystery, Blood Hoax. Patti is a member of the American Morgan Horse Association Hall of Fame, and her books have delighted readers time and time again.

Helen Scanlon will also say a few words and sign her book at the UCANRAA silent auction at the WB Young Building Quad. A beautiful canvas print of Helen’s UC Ringmaster illustration will be available for bidding at the event.

The UConn College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association (UCANRAA) is dedicated to supporting the students, faculty and staff of the College, and they have created a permanently endowed scholarship in the UConn Foundation. These scholarships are awarded to CANR students annually.

See you there!

My first book is now published!

Hi everyone!

*wipes brow*

Wow, I can't believe the day has arrived. The book is published and ready for the world! Click the link to get your copy:

My Horse, My Heart: The Morgan Horses of the University of Connecticut

Thank you to everyone for your help and support--so many people worked behind the scenes to get this book FINISHED and in print. I could not have done this without you. Take a bow!

This book journey introduced me to world of Morgan horses and their loving humans. I discovered that the Morgan horse world is incredibly warm, gracious, supportive and helpful. I made friends, and was given opportunities to swing a leg over a couple of amazing UConn-bred Morgan horses. Sheer joy!

Oh my goodness, thank you. I am humbled and honored!

I hope all of you enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Now, on to the finish The Great Red Horse.

warmest regards from Hampton, Connecticut,
Helen

My Horse, My Heart

Under a tree, my beloved steed

Earth and roots now hold you near.

Twisted branches scrape the painted sky

With sun to soothe and stars to guide.

My old friend, he is there in the nimbus

Wind shapes his hoof and molds his ear.

I see him in the rays through my window

I hear him in the gust through the flue.

My horse, my heart-- he is near.

My horse, my heart--he is here.

-Helen Scanlon, 7/10/11

My first book is DONE

well, folks---My Horse, My Heart: The Morgan Horses of the University of Connecticut is now a publisher-ready PDF.

It should be available for purchase very soon, watch this space.

The Great Red Horse should be done by the fall, as well. Many, many thanks to everyone who helped make My Horse, My Heart a reality!

Art Opening--You're Invited!

Hello Friends of Sound the Bugle Studio,

I hope this blog post finds you well.

Mark your calendars!

You are invited to help me welcome the warmth and beauty of May at my art opening at the Lily Pad gallery, 34 North St., Willimantic CT., on Thursday, May 9 from 5-7pm.

Lots of my equine art will be there—charcoal drawings and big, vibrant paintings—including my portrait of the UConn-bred Morgan stallion, UC Doc Daniels. This painting will be featured on the cover of my soon-to-be-published book, My Horse, My Heart: The Morgan Horses of the University of Connecticut.

Come on out and enjoy the art! I would love to see you!

Very best wishes,

Helen

My Horse, My Heart book cover

The cover for my soon-to-be-published first book, My Horse, My Heart: The Morgan Horses of the University of Connecticut--featuring a chapter on UC Ringmaster--- is DONE!

The cover model is former UConn herd sire, UC Doc Daniels.
 

The print!

WOW!

I ordered a canvas print from Fine Art America, and color me impressed. They really, REALLY know how to do prints! The detail is amazing, and the colors really pop.

The print is 11.5in by 12 in and is on canvas with a glossy finish. The detail in this high-res print is AMAZING! Be sure to make your bid on April 27 at the UConn Horse Sale and Auction. All proceeds will benefit the UCANRAA (University of Connecticut Agriculture and Natural Resources Alumni Association) Endowed Scholarship awarded annually to students of CANR/RHSA, as well as programs and events that support the students, staff, faculty and alumni of the University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from the regular sale of this print goes to UConn's Equine Programs. The memory of The Great Red Horse lives on!

A link to UConn's Horse and Auction: 
UConn's Horse Sale and Auction 

And, the link to purchase the print from my Fine Art America print store:
UC Ringmaster print by Helen Scanlon

You can order to print in a variety of sizes and styles. There's canvas, acrylic, metal, fine art paper with your choice of mat and frame.

Thank you for your support!

The World Champion

New preliminary sketch for The Great Red Horse---

Here's our guy winning one of his World Championship titles:

These preliminary pencil sketches are done on inexpensive drawing paper to allow me to erase, fix, adjust, etc etc before I transfer the final image to the Rolls Royce of watercolor paper, Arches.

Arches paper is utterly delicious. I use hot-press to allow for a smooth drawing and painting surface. oh, heavenly....

But, I digress.

I referred to a photo to get the bridle just so. Lots of metal and leather, had to make sure every piece was in the right place.

My drawing style is primarily freehand. I think this allows me to focus more on feelings and emotions, and not exact lines.  Lines can be erased and moved, and that's part of the fun and the creative process of drawing horses. Line can also convey expression as well as my mood.

Can you tell what I was feeling when I drew this sketch?

*smile*

Thank you for following along, and for your support of this book. It is a work from my heart, a tribute to one of the finest Morgan horses that ever lived. I am grateful for your interest.

UC Ringmaster print

UC Ringmaster, 2013. 9" x 9" watercolor and ink on Arches hot-press watercolor paper. Copyright Helen Scanlon.

This is an illustration for The Great Red Horse, and I am offering it as a print ahead of the book's publication. A portion of the proceeds will go to the University of Connecticut's Morgan Horse program, in memory of UC Ringmaster.

Go here to purchase:
UC Ringmaster print by Helen Scanlon

UConn has kept the Government-bred Morgan horse alive, and with the money raised from the print, you and I will be doing our part to help keep their breeding program going strong. The funds can go to supplies like tack and halters, or to medications, or to student materials for the classroom. UConn's Equine programs generate their own revenue each year--and this is a way for the memory of The Great Red Horse, UC Ringmaster, to help these valuable programs.

My illustration depicts Ring with a tousled mane and a bright eye, just as I remember him. He is framed by a tree gently shedding its autumn colors, and the green hills of UConn are in the background. He loved his home.

Many thanks to you, the University of Connecticut and, of course, the amazing UC Ringmaster.

Starting to grow up...

Growing Up, preliminary sketch for The Great Red Horse, copyright 2013 by Helen Scanlon.

Missing my friend

One of the great things about art is that you can take images from the mind and put them on paper.

I have no photos of UC Ringmaster as a foal, so my drawings of him as a youngster is my imagination hard at work. I have to admit--it is a very emotional process. I have to open my heart and allow the images and feelings to tell my pencil where to go to create the fuzzy foal ears, big, bright eyes and the swift legs of the baby UC Ringmaster. He was the foal that caused hearts to flutter as soon as he entered the world, a future two-time World Champion.

When I draw UC Ringmaster, I look right back at him and I miss him.

3am note to self:

This sleepy scribble is reminding me to do an illustration of me and UC Ringmaster for the book's 'About the Author' page.

What is it with 3am? I got my idea for my first book this way, too. Hence, the scrap paper and pen by my bed.

Thoughts on illustrating

I used to think an old-fashioned, wooden,  super-sharp #2 pencil was the way to go for sketching my preliminary drawings. The disposable plastic mechanical pencils didn't offer a good grip or a steady line, the lead was too loose in the plastic casing and it broke off too quickly.

But, my lovely little wooden pencils needed constant attention and sharpening. High maintenance and all. And, frustrating at times--for sure.

Preliminary drawings need to be darn near perfect before I transfer them to watercolor paper for the illustration phase. I need a GREAT pencil not a Good or Okay one.

Turned off by the substandard quality and control of those plastic disposables, I decide to buy a refillable mechanical pencil and give it a go. At my last shopping trip to my local art supply store, The Lily Pad, I got a sleek Pentel mechanical pencil and some replacement leads. Oh, and a bright shiny new eraser. I figured it was time to try a refillable. They had to be better than the cheapies, right? I can be a bit stubborn--the wooden #2 pencils are AWESOME (except for the maintenance part)--so what's a little sharpening and stern language? I was willing to stick with them forever. They gave me a great line, and--ooops, I'll be right back, I have to sharpen my pencil AGAIN.

But I digress.

Let me get to the point, pun intended---I LOVE THIS PENCIL! The lead is tightly controlled in its casing, the barrel offers a solid grip, and the point is always at ideal sharpness. No more cussing at my sharpener for breaking off a perfectly sharpened point!

It's been a good week for sketching, except I caught a cold last weekend and now I have a sinus condition that doesn't want to budge. Winter dry air isn't helping.

But today will be a good drawing day. Some Advil and hot tea and I am ready to go....

New illustration

Young Ringmaster in a field of dandelions, copyright 2013 by Helen Scanlon.

The Great Red Horse gallops along...

And wow, am I having fun!

...more sketches

Today was a productive one. Four new rough sketches for illustrations, done.

I wanted to have at least one sketch done by today, so exceeding that goal was a pleasant surprise. If the creativity wants to flow, let it, I say.

Here is a pre-lim sketch I did today.

A future two-time World Champion stands for the very first time...
UC Lyric and her 1978 colt by Waseeka's Showtime--soon to be called UC Ringmaster, The Great Red Horse:

By special request--another illustration

A Facebook fan wanted me to post the completed illustration from the rough sketch of UC Lyric nuzzling her foal, UC Ringmaster. Happy to oblige!

UC Lyric and her foal, UC Ringmaster, 2013. Watercolor and ink illustration for The Great Red Horse, copyright Helen Scanlon.


His mother would nuzzle him as he dozed, and he loved that most of all—more than the flowers, the sunbeams and the grass. ~excerpt from The Great Red Horse by Helen Scanlon

first completed illustration

I wanted to share with all of you the first completed illustration for The Great Red Horse:

UC Ringmaster, 2013. Watercolor and ink illustration for the forthcoming book, The Great Red Horse, copyright Helen Scanlon.


This portrait of UC Ringmaster was created with watercolor and ink on Arches hot-press watercolor paper, and will be offered as a print in the near future.

I hope you are having a wonderful 2013 so far--I am. Snow blankets the quiet corner of Northeast Connecticut, and everything is delightfully frigid (I love winter!). The design on my first book, My Horse, My Heart: The Morgan Horses of the University of Connecticut, is coming along nicely, and I am still shooting for a spring publication. I love spring, too!

The illustrations for My Horse, My Heart will look a bit different from the ones for The Great Red Horse. My Horse, My Heart will feature loose pencil sketches in black and white, and The Great Red Horse will be in full color. How could it not be? UC Ringmaster had the most amazingly brilliant auburn coat, and the book will be a celebration of that shade of red.

Thank you to everyone for your support as I embark on this important project. It is a distinct honor to create a lasting tribute to the immortal UC Ringmaster.

Oh, and another thing--a dear friend of mine just sent me a BIG box of gourmet chocolate. Winter, chocolate, horses, friends, books, art---doesn't get any better than that! I feel very grateful today.

A New Year

2012 marked the passing of a great Champion, UC Ringmaster.
2013 will be the year he will have a book written just for him.

I would like to thank my teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School for encouraging a young artist and writer to pursue her dreams. My school is forever in my heart.

2013 is a shiny new year, full of opportunity....

The Great Red Horse is moving along, I have several illustrations that are ready for the ink and watercolor. I am still playing around with the prose. I want it to be appealing and easy to read. Sounds simple, right? Nope. It's not. I have to be patient and wait for a bit of magic, and then capture it with a pen. It may sound frustrating, but it's not. It's fun, it's exciting--because when the magic hits it feels pretty great! It's almost as if Ring is speaking to me, and that is quite a wonderful feeling.

It's a profound experience to write an entire book on one of the most incredible horses I have ever met. A good friend, an inspiration, a comforting presence. I hope my words and drawings adequately capture what UC Ringmaster meant to me and countless others.

Happy New Year, take the next 365 days and fill the canvas with color and joy!

Blessings,
Helen