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.