Tried and True

I mention my father a lot in my blog. I grew up drawing and painting the horses in my life. At a very young age, maybe 5, I was given, Learn to Draw with Jon Gnagy, a brown paper magazine style book. I drew everything Jon Gnagy taught in that book. The only drawings that I remember being excited and proud of were the pictures of the horses. They were drawn just the way Jon Gnagy taught me, horse head only.

This is a painting out of the past, my dad's best horse ever, Handy Man. I named the painting Tried and True because he was tried and true. My dad could do anything he needed with him: work cattle, ride for pleasure, or take 11 young children for a ride around the yard on his back. There is even a true story about Handy standing in a stock trailer going down the road, spradled over a ailing cow. Patiently waiting.

This painting was the first time I remember painting just what I saw. It consists of light and shadow, values, color, edges, and lines. In the end I can see Handy walking towards me, coming from the stall in the bright sunlight. I am still very happy with this painting. My dad owns it - it has a prominent place on his wall. I might point out to you this painting was not painted in Jon Gnagy style, it is more of the impressionist influence. We had some great horses over the years and I think I drew or painted them all at one time or another. I hope you enjoy.