painting: appaloosa (02/26/15)

11″x14″ oil on canvas. Available here.

watching: The Wind Rises (2013)

Our house eagerly awaits each new Hayao Miyazaki movie, and every year he has not retired seems like such a blessing on the world. I admit we are greedy and do not want him ever to retire, because even though the list of his accomplishments is long, there would always be the unanswered: What might have been?

I am linking to the subtitled trailer, just so you can see the longest clip available.

Jiro is in love with aircraft design, becomes an engineer after WWI, and lives an ordinary life within this frame. The story unspools slowly, following Jiro’s life, his chance encounter with a young lady, and meeting her again 12 years later. The pivotal moments propelling Jiro’s life in new directions occur at moments when the wind is blowing harshly, bringing change. The lift the wind gives to Jiro’s aircraft is more of a technical consideration, but similarly thematic.

Truly lovely, and a touch sentimental. Worth watching again and again, as each time you will see more depth.

painting: a bull (02/25/15)

This braw boy was at the rodeo last year. He has a pretty play of light over him.

12″x12″ oil on canvas. Available here.

painting: Belgian hare (02/23/15)

12″x12″ oil on stretched canvas. Available here.

at the park again

We went down to the river again, and I got some lucky shots.

I wish the turtles had more light on them, but now I know to go back in the morning when the sun will be lighting them from the correct direction.

And look at how much the slough has been drained. You could walk clear across some of the drained ponds (and risk your shoes being sucked off, of course).

I saw pawprints in the mud.

Raccoon? 5 fingers….

Beaver or nutria? Opossum?

Are these all does, or is February too soon for antlers to grow back? I guess it’s usually does who come out so you can see them.

The river was too cold to actually touch.

On the way home I spotted this house with quilt decorations. I’d like to make one of these to showcase our house numbers one day. Boy, there sure aren’t enough days in the week, are there?

Still, it was a fun outing. Did you have a good weekend?

painting: horse kiss (02/22/15)

I have painted this moment before, and will probably paint it again. It’s one of those perfect moments, and worth trying to recreate in different color schemes, different sizes. I love these two so much!

11″x14″ oil on stretched canvas. Available here.

paintings: horse friends (02/21/15)

12″x12″. Oil on stretched canvas. Available here.