Wild Mustangs

   After completing such a complicated painting (see Buon Cibo, Buon Vino), it is a bit refreshing to move to this straightforward composition. A simple design can seem deceptively easy. But, with few distractions from the main focus, everything is more exposed.

   I started with the sky. This I thought would be the easy part. After mixing several colors, I applied the paint carefully, not too heavy so it felt "airy" in places. The background mountains were painted next. A darker, richer sunset color was placed next to the mountains. It was then I realized the sky was just not the right color. The next morning I grabbed the palette knife and scraped off as much sky paint as I could. Not an auspicious beginning.

   However, I found I could take parts of the peachy color I had mixed the day before and add naples yellow to achieve more of what I wanted. With the bits of wet paint still in streaks on the board, this new color became what I envisioned. Next to the mountains I left a sliver of the dark peachy/red color which will tie the background to the horse.

I've blocked in the ground color with lighter peachy areas which will be the base for sunlit sections. To offset the left side darker area of the ground, the right bottom edge will be in shadow.

Before continuing on the ground, I will complete the horse. This is one of the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustangs. These horses are descendants of the first horses brought to America by the Spanish.

 

Completed

The last horse was more a challenge than I expected. The color seemed pretty straightforward - a golden tan. Once I stepped back from what I thought was the finished horse, it looked really dull. The coat did not shine like the other two. Taking a note from the last painting, Track Team, when I pushed the color, I started mixing what felt like outrageous combinations. When blended with the still wet paint, it worked.

With the last horse painted, it was time to revisit the background trees on the left side. Though there were some nice passages of light, I felt they needed more depth. Dark greens, browns, and navys were added to enhance the trees.

Note: The far left background has detail which is not showing up in this photo

The last step are the grasses. I could add streams of dust but these Pryor Mountain horses are in such good shape because of the abundance of grasses even in the dry months. Much of my time with them was spent watching them eat, hearing them crunch on the varied low growth vegetation.

Below is the finished piece scanned before it is varnished. Once the spray varnish is applied the darkest darks will be more pronounced.

Range Runners - Wild Horse Series

24" X 48"

Original Oil

Wild Horses!

Heading home from seeing the eclipse in Wyoming (totality was awesome) I had a chance to spend time with the Pryor Mountain Wild Horses. It has been decades since I have seen wild horses. Ever since a chance encounter in Nevada, I have wanted to see them again.
Through the Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center in Lovell, Wyoming (http://www.pryormustangs.org/) I was hooked up with Kristen who, through her contact with the Cloud Foundation, knows these horses by name. http://www.thecloudfoundation.org/

A rugged almost two hour trip by ATV to one of the high points in the horses' 38,000 acre range was worth every bump. In total I saw about 50 different horses! They were eating, running, drinking, splashing in water, mock fighting, mating, resting in the shade, and nuzzling each other. I could not have asked for more. Though I took over 2500 reference photos, I had plenty of time to sit and watch them especially at the spring-fed pond. I must admit I was expecting more mangy looking animals. Hardly. These horses looked like they had just come from a groomer - gleaming coats, toned muscles, and full of energy. I saw a colt, a gorgeous 21-year old stallion and every age in between. The horses' range is in and near the Bighorn Canyon National Recreational Area. (Note: the recreational area is in Wyoming and Montana and quite a scenic drive on route 37.) They are descended from Spanish Colonial horses which arrived in the 1500's and herds have roamed the Pryor Mountains for more than 200 years.

What to paint first? I knew I wanted to start with a large painting. The experience was too overwhelming for a miniature as my first piece. I worked up numerous compositions and then one seemed to stand out. Once I changed the setting to a more interesting section we hiked I had my idea.

Detail of painting