Featured Art

"Garden Jewel"

A constant visitor to the garden in front of the south end of the barn, this female ruby throated hummingbird is a familiar sight during my morning and evening trips to the barn.

Undeterred by my presence there, I often stop and watch as she flits from blossom to blossom sipping nectar from the Jacob Cline Monarda which blooms profusely at the back of the garden.

As difficult as hummingbirds can be to photograph in motion, I found capturing one at rest even more challenging. My patience was rewarded with this image of her momentarily perched among the tall grasses beside the paddock fence.

Open edition. Unstretched canvas print, lustre finish. Image size: 12 x 8", $85.00. To purchase, click here.

Brush stroke finish, Gallery and Museum Wrap also available.

Additional sizes, papers, and frame options on request.

Image also available on notecards.

Art at the Classic

I received confirmation today that both of my photographic entries have been accepted to Art at the Classic, held in conjunction with the 26th Annual Draft Horse Classic in Grass Valley, California, September 20 - 23, 2012.

Now to get them framed!

"Days Gone Bye"

"Jeremy and Phil"

Featured Art

"Thanks, Bud"

On Tuesday, July 10, 2012, I will be celebrating 30 years with my very best friend, Mi Choyce. I wrote this blog post several years ago, and while trying to decide on this months featured art I felt this image summed up simply what all of us horse crazy kids know to be true, so I'm sharing it with you again:

Of little girls and horses...

This piece is quite possibly the one of greatest sentimental value to me. A tender moment is exchanged between my then two year old daughter Michaela and my beloved horse, Mi Choyce.

In appreciation of her ride, Michaela marched directly into the hay room, came back with an armload of hay - which she stuffed in his feed bucket - and patted him gently on the head.

That inexplicable connection between little girls and horses, captured in this heartwarming moment. An enduring reminder of one of the simplest joys: friendship.

Open edition. Unstretched canvas print, lustre finish. Image size: 24" x 16", $225.00. To purchase, click here.

Brush stroke finish, Gallery and Museum wrap also available. Additional sizes, papers and frame options on request.

Image also available as a large magnet and single or boxed notecards.

Featured Artist @ Imagekind

Thank you Imagekind for selecting me as one of your Featured Artists of the day! :)

Visit http://solacepointe.imagekind.com/store to view available work and purchase prints.

Featured Art

"Paul Anka"

After spending a great deal of the first two years of his life with me, on Saturday, I will be taking Paul Anka on a transport run to St. Louis where he'll be reunited with his girl - my daughter Allanah.

Very simply, I am going to miss him.

Open edition. Unstretched canvas print, lustre finish. Image size: 12" x 8", $85.00. To purchase, click here. Brush Stroke finish, Gallery and Museum wrap also available.

Additional sizes, papers, frame options and gallery mount on request.

Image also available as a 12x18" poster, magnet and single or boxed notecard.

Featured Artist @ Imagekind

Thank You, Imagekind, for selecting me as one of your Featured Artists of the day! :)

Visit http://solacepointe.imagekind.com/store to view available work and purchase prints.

Featured Art

"White on White"

Meet Lila, a beautiful eleven week old Lab/Pit mix, and my present from Michael this past Christmas. She joins my two boys Jordan and Caleb, filling a very special place in our pack.

When my best girl Faith passed away in August of 2009, the boys never completely filled the hole she left in my heart. The love I had for her needed to be shared. I had room for someone new. And so begins our journey with my new best girl. Though Faith can never be replaced, and Lila's got big prints to follow in, my pack feels whole again.

At four months now, Lila has found her place easily; embracing her new life here and bringing joy to each of us. Her story is just beginning...

Open edition. Unstretched canvas print, lustre finish. Image size "24 x 16", $225.00. To purchase, click here.

Brush Stroke finish, Museum and Gallery Wrap also available.

Additional sizes, papers and frame options on request.

"White on White" is from our "Foster Hope" collection. A percentage of the sales from this print will be donated in Lila's name to the local rescue she was adopted from.

Featured Art

"Percheron Foal"

Spring may be months away yet here in Western New York, but it has not stopped me from dreaming of frolicking foals and green grass. This winter in particular has found me counting the days until warmer weather arrives; it has been unseasonably cold this year, and seemingly greyer than usual.

So, as I sit nestled in my studio until the grass reappears and that new crop of foals arrive, I thought I would share one of my favorite foal pics with you ~ a darling percheron colt dozing in the lush Spring grass and this month's featured art:

Open edition, unstretched canvas print, lustre finish. Image size: 24" x 16", $225.00. To purchase, click here.

Brush stroke finish, Gallery and Museum wrap also available.

Additional sizes, papers and frame options on request.

Featured Art

" Jordan's First Snow"

There's something magical about the first snow of the season. Love or hate winter, there is beauty in those first flakes falling - blanketing the world in a soft hush of white. Winter beckons to the child in all of us, and the dogs are no exception. Jordan, then three months old, enjoys his first outing into this wonderous landscape in this month's featured art:

Open edition. Unstretched canvas print, lustre finish. Image size: 12 x 8", $85.00. To purchase, click here. Museum, Gallery Wrap and Brush Stroke finish available.

Additional sizes, papers and frame options on request.

Featured Art

Quietude

Here in Western New York, we have been fortunate to have had temperate, sunlit weekends perfect for viewing the spectacular foliage this fall. On one of our recent outings, we came across this little marsh tucked amongst the pines along a wooded trail; the stately trees perfectly reflected on its surface, the tranquil stillness seemingly tangible in this month's featured art:

Open edition. Unstretched canvas print, lustre finish. Image size: 24" x 16", $225.00. To purchase, click here.

Brush stroke finish, Gallery and Museum Wrap also available.

Additional sizes, papers and frame options on request.

Featured Art

"Autumn"

Sunlight days and crisp nights transform the cool green of summer ~ drenching this maple in brilliant shades of autumn red, orange and yellow.

Fall is, with a doubt, my favorite time of year. I relish the days leading into winter. The air is crisp and cool; a welcomed respite from the sweltering summer heat, and the autumn sun baths everything in a luminous glow. These are coveted days, savored with long walks, morning rides, weekend outings, bonfires and fresh pressed cider. The vibrant foliage, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the smell of woodburning stoves, the honking of geese as they begin their migration south - it is a season that delights the senses, its splendor captured in this months featured art:

Open edition. Unstretched canvas print, lustre finish. Image size: 12" x 18", $175.00. To purchase, click here.

Brush stroke finish, Museum and Gallery Wrap also available.

Additional sizes, papers and frame options on request.

Chief

It is with great sadness that we said goodbye to Chief yesterday. I am grateful for the time he was with us, and that he went quietly in the end; though I'm not sure knowing that it would be soon was of any solace when the time came, just relief.

The day is grey and quiet, reflecting the mood on the farm, as if it knows we mourn. Manny and Choyce, Jordan and Caleb are all accutely aware of the absence and loss of their friend. There is a void in my heart this morning as big as his empty stall. How long before I will stop anticipating his greeting each morning I arrive at the barn?

Michaela and I will be planting a butterfly garden on his grave as a memorial; whenever he got out he would inevitably meander through the one by the pond - much to my dismay - completely obliterating it, as though Belgians hold some grudge against butterflies.

I am also setting up a fund that will benefit aged draft horses through sales of "Sentinel", a portrait of Chief, and September's featured art. At this time, I am not sure which organization(s) that will be. If you know of a worthy recipient, please let me know.

"Sentinel"

Open edition Fuji Crystal Archive print, 10" x 15", $50.00. To purchase, click here. Additional sizes, papers and frame options available.

Open edition unstretched canvas print, lustre finish, 12" x 18", $175.00. To purchase, click here. Brush stroke finish, Gallery and Museum Wrap also available.

12" x 18" Gallery Mount, $185.00. To purchase, click here.

12" x 18" Poster, $5.00. To purchase, click here.

Small Magnet, 2 3/8" x 3 1/4", $3.50. To purchase, click here.

Notecards w/envelopes: single card, linen paper, $3.50. box of ten cards, linen paper, $25.00.

Safe journey, big dawg. You will be missed.

Featured Art

"Sentinel"

Very often when I am outside working I will glance up to find Chief, our Belgian gelding, silently observing me. There is a wisdom in the depth of his gaze; a look of gentleness and knowing, perhaps earned through a life of service and labor in younger years. His days are now spent leisurely meandering about, as here, I assume the role of resident workhorse. Affectionately known as my "big dawg", it took time for us to become friends, this toady old belgian and me. But like many a crotchety old man, he has a softer side - and he has found that underneath it all I do, too. Our daily interactions have inevitably taught us much about one another, and slowly understanding has turned to acceptance, caring and most of all, the friendship we now share.

At nearly twenty-nine, Chief's aged body struggles at times, and there have been some rough days these past few weeks. Days when his old legs do not have strength to support his massive frame and we sit quietly together, taking comfort in the presence of one another. Days of watching and waiting for him to tell me he is ready to journey elsewhere, secretly hoping that he will instead just drift quietly away in his slumber, as I thought he had the first morning I came to know that he'd be leaving us before long. Peaceful. And without suffering.

I am thankful for each day he remains with us, knowing that he will tell me when it is time to say goodbye. Yet I am dreading that final call to the vet, or of finding him ... Every morning I am greeted by his gentle nicker is the sound of another precious day. I will take them as they come, and rejoice in their number ~ as I am not quite ready yet, either, dear friend.

Sales from this work currently go toward Chief's care. In the future, a portion of the continued sale of this work will be donated in his honor to support other aged draft horses. If you know of a worthy organization, please contact me.

Open edition unstretched canvas print, lustre finish. Image size: 12" x 18", $175.00. To purchase, click here.

Brush Stroke finish, Gallery and Museum Wrap also available.

Fuji Crystal Archive print, size 10" x 15", $50.00. To purchase, click here.

Gallery Mount, size 12" x 18", $185.00. To purchase, click here.

Additional sizes and papers on request.

Image also available as a 12 x 18 poster, small magnet, and single or boxed notecard.

Barn Swallows

"Barn Swallows"

It was such a short time ago that the swallows returned to spend the summer months raising their young within the weathered beams of our old barn. Four short months ago, to be exact, that the first male arrived on the evening of April 20th, delighting me with his presence and the promise that Spring had indeed finally arrived.

As August comes to an end, their second brood of four has been fledged - and, along with the other pair and their trio of fledglings, they have all left on the migratory journey that will hopefully see them return to us next Spring. Until then, I am left with empty nests to remind me of their cheerful greetings each morning as I arrived to feed the horses, and the knowledge that winter is once again, not far off.

Print only, double matted and ready to frame, 14" x 11" (10" x 7" image), $35.00. To purchase, click here.

Framed print, 13" x 11" (7" x 5" image), $180.00. To purchase, click here.

Gallery Mount, 10" x 7", $65.00. To purchase, click here.

Additional sizes, papers and canvas options on request.

Featured Art

"Lake Stones"

I feel a certain affinity towards these type of beaches - rock versus sand; they are infinitely more interesting to me and there is comfort in the familiar sound of the rocks underfoot as they are carefully navigated. There is comfort also in the soothing sound of the waves washing over them. Sitting along the waters edge at days end as the waves gently lap the shore and the sun sinks beyond the horizon is one of my favorite indulgences. It is a mingling of scent and sound which brings calm and peace to my very soul.

As a child, summers were spent along the shores of Lake Ontario, where I would often spend my days collecting rocks when I wasn't swimming. I still come home with a bag of colorful stones each time we visit. There are cylinders of them in our living room, which is themed around our mutual love of the water, and the time we spend there as a family: a port in the dead of winter when the bitter cold closes in around me and I long for the carefree days of summer.

Our featured art for the month is an image from a recent trip to Chimney Bluffs. It was a glorious summer day: the water was clear and calm, providing a spectacular view of the lake bed and the perfect opportunity to capture the stones revealed just beneath its' shimmering surface.

Open edition. Unstretched canvas print, Lustre finish. Brush stroke finish available. Image size 24" x 16", $225.00. To purchase, click here.

Museum and Gallery Wrap also available.

Additional sizes, papers and frame options on request.

Opening Reception

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening reception of Solace Place, A Ten Year Retrospective. I am especially grateful to Kelly Kiebala, Executive Director of GoArt!, for her assistance.

If you missed the opening reception, the exhibit remains on display through September 10, 2010 at the Bank of Castile Main Gallery at GoArt!, Seymour Place, 201 East Main Street, Batavia, New York. Regular gallery hours are Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm.

Unable to attend in person? View the exhibit online.

Letchworth Park

Spent the day at Letchworth State Park, one of New York State's natural treasures and one we frequently visit. Located approximately 35 miles Southwest of Rochester, the park encompasses 14,350 acres along the Genesee River. Here are a few images:

Named after William Letchworth, who first purchased the land in 1859 and made the Glen Iris - now an inn - his home up until his death in 1910.

Prior to his death, Letchworth offered his home and thousand acre estate to the state of New York as a public park, arranging for the preservation of the gorge and surrounding woodlands.

The park boasts several beautiful waterfalls, with Inspirational Falls being the highest with a drop of 350'. The crest is only a foot wide and the waterfall itself is seasonal. Taughannock Falls is generally recognized as the highest waterfall in the state as well as in the Northeast. The major waterfalls - the Upper, Middle and Lower Falls are located in Portage Canyon.

The layers of bedrock exposed in the gorge are comprised of mostly shale, with some layers of limestone and sandstone. Part of an ancient inland sea, marine fossils from the Devonian age can be found within these layers of stone.

As well as magnificent scenic views along its' hiking trails, Letchworth Park offers campsites, fishing areas, picnic shelters, hunting, whitewater rafting, canoeing and kayaking, and sports facilities.

There are also guided tours, lectures, concessions, gift shops, dining and lodging available. The park also hosts many special events and festivals throughout the year.

There is so much to do and see within the park that, despite having been there many times, I still feel as though I've only begun to explore it. Each visit brings something new and wonderful, as does each season.

More images from our visit can be viewed here.

Green Frog

While out at the pond the other day, I came across an unusual Green Frog. It caught my attention because of its' vivid blue coloring; something I have not come across before. Borrowing Michaela's little net, I captured the frog for closer inspection, and then set out to find the answer to my question: why was this green frog, blue?

Frogs have a complex arrangement of cells which provide them the ability to adjust their hue to their surroundings and blend in with their environment. Within their skin are three types of pigment cells (chromatophores) stacked on top of each other. The bottom layer are melanophores, which contain the dark pigment melanin. The middle layer consists of iridophores, which are packed with highly reflective bundles of purine crystals. On top are the xanthophores, which are usually packed with yellowish pteridine pigments.

Each type of cell can change shape, and control the intensity and character of transmitted or reflected light by moving the pigment within them. A wide range of colors can be produced by manipulating all three types of pigment cells, though normally their coloration ranges from bright green to various shades of brown and grey.

Light penetrates to the iridophores, which reflect mostly blue light back into the xanthophores above them. The xanthophores act as yellow filters, causing the light escaping the skin surface to appear green to us. This particular frog lacks the yellow xanthophore cells, which (ahh) causes it to appear blue. Science broken down into a simple color mixing fomula: an artistic anomoly in the pond - but a beautiful one indeed.

Exhibit Opening

"Back Forty"

Solace Place, A Ten Year Retrospective featuring fifty photographic works, opened today at the Bank of Castile Main Gallery at GoArt!, Seymour Place, 201 East Main Street, Batavia, New York.

Gallery hours are Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm and by appointment.

An opening reception will be held Saturday, July 17, from 1-3pm. All are welcome to attend.

The exhibit runs through September 10, 2010.

For those unable to attend in person, the exhibit is available for viewing here.

All work is available for purchase.

Featured Art

"Walk These Woods"

An early Spring rain clothes the back woods in mist, giving them an ethereal quality. The woods have beckoned to me this morning, and the dogs and I are reveling in the promise of adventure. The carpet of water-soaked leaves muffles the sound of us moving through the trees, concealing our presence here. It is an awe inspiring morning to be out: the air is cool and crisp and heavy from the rain, and the landscape is still. It is as if we are the only creatures here who stir.

Our featured art for the month is an image of the stately Beech trees that are prominent in this section of the woods, their silver bark transforming them to mere ghosts of the forest in the mist.

3/8" Gallery Mount, 30" x 20" image, $350.00. To purchase, click here.

Additional sizes, papers, frame options and canvas prints available.