Watercolor on matte board

This painting is actually of… you guessed it, me!! I think I was about 5 when this pic was taken. This was just another day with my very first pony whom we affectionately called “Cochise.” Don’t ask where the name came from, I have no idea. All I know is he was the best first pony a girl could ask for. He taught me a lot about life, probably the most important being patience!! He was blind in one eye, older than dirt, and rarely went past a walk. When I would start crying out of frustration (because I wanted to go fast!), he would stop. But he knew something I didn’t know, and that was the fact that I was 5, fragile, and inexperienced! Anyway, this drawing is a tribute to our beloved Cochise. I wish every kid could have a chance to ride such a wonderful pony. Even if just once.

Watercolor, 11″x 17″

This was my very first “real” painting using watercolors. I just woke up one day and decided I wanted to try it out. I knew very little about watercolors at the time, and really, I still don’t know a lot about it. I just paint. I don’t know very many fancy techniques or tricks for this medium. But I’m pretty happy with the results, anyway. Who says you need tricks? I’m a fairly straight-forward person, and I always want that to show in my work.

Charcoal, 8″x 10″

This was another one of those class projects I did while at OSU. I believe this was done in one of the first drawing classes I took. There’s really not much more to that story! Just a drawing of a garlic press, on some sort of charcoal paper. That is all.

Color Pencil, 8″x 10″

When I was still competing in youth rodeos, back in 2003, a fellow competitor lost her life in a terrible accident during a rodeo in Harrah, OK. She was only in her early teens. It’s one of those stories that sends chills down my spine every time I think about it. I still remember being there that day, and I remember thinking how everything about the youth rodeos would change from that day forward. And it did. Amanda Westermier was a special person who loved what she was doing. She lived for the sport and everything that comes with it. It was a terrible tragedy that I will never forget.

Shortly after the accident, I was asked by the Heart of Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association to create a portrait of Amanda for her friends and family… and anyone else who knew her. A limited number of prints were sold and most of the proceeds went to a charity in Amanda’s name.

Graphite on drawing paper, 24″x 36″

Another one of those class projects while at OSU. Yep, this is me… in a mechanic’s jumpsuit. Because, you know, I’m a mechanic. Just kidding, that would be crazy! But it does kind of concern me that I am able to look the part so easily… Hmmm…

Watercolor, 11″x 17″

I did this painting for the Triangle Sale Catalog cover back in 2004. For some reason I have never liked this painting, yet it seems to be a favorite for most people. Go figure! This was another one of those love-hate kind of relationships, in that I loved to hate it. Of course it didn’t help that I ended up rushing its completion because of the catalog deadline… But I think it all worked out in the end, and it did end up making a pretty good cover. It’s just never been one of my favorites, to say the least. Well what can I say, you’re always your own worst critic!

Graphite on drawing paper, 15″x 14″

This is one of my absolute favorite drawings. I like that it’s silly and a little imperfect… Like me! This drawing, believe it or not, was actually done as an OSU class project. We were learning a new technique and had free choice of what we wanted to draw. So, of course, I chose to draw a horse… to no one’s surprise. This drawing was used as our Christmas card a few years ago, and is currently for sale in the form of prints and greeting cards.

“Lilly”

We bought this 2 year old filly (pictured as a yearling) as a long weanling from Bryce & Dani Turner of Perkins, OK. She is a product of their excellent breeding program and we can’t wait to see her abilities take shape. She is by Run Bully (son of the great Bully Bullion) and out of a Firewater Flit mare. This filly is really going to be nice. She was started this spring and really did well. Will return to training later this summer. Stay tuned, videos & pics will be posted as she progresses!

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“Annie”

2005 mare by PC Frenchmans Mark and out of Streakin Six daughter. This mare was raised & started by the Baltezores, owners of PC Frenchmans Mark and Holy Bart. I bought her as a futurity prospect, but time sort of got away from me and she became a ‘pasture’ prospect! She is a really nice mare that picked the pattern up with ease. I can’t wait to get her going again! She is currently bred to Holy Bart for a 2011 foal and will return to the barrel pen after weaning!

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“Claire”

2003 mare by Doc Eighty Six and out of a Bugs Alive in 75 mare. Claire is a ‘mare’ by all definitions, but we’ve chosen to love her anyway! She definitely doesn’t lack in personality, but hey… It just wouldn’t be right otherwise! We bought this mare from Trish Hoover of Chandler, OK, who owns Doc Eighty Six (Claire’s sire). When I first started working with this mare, I knew it would probably be a long road ahead. And I was right. She is the exact opposite of what I have always been used to. And that has taken some hard work and long hours to figure out. But I have learned a lot from Claire, and I hope she’s learned a thing or two from me! Whatever the case, we have turned out to be a pretty good team and it seems to get better with each run. Videos posted below.

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