Horse Art & beautiful interiors

Happy Friday my friends!

For the past couple of days, the sun has been out for us here in Portland and we couldn’t be more pleased! Sunshine, daffodils and pink blossoming trees! Sigh…Spring is almost here!

Along with the flowers, I’ve also been completely delighted by the artwork coming out of the first session of my online Mixed Media workshop – Spirit Horse!  Such beautiful expressive work right?! Some of my students are painting horses for the first time! It’s so exciting to see that! Other’s are very experienced equine artists who are allowing themselves to loosen up and joyously paint their hearts out in this new and freeing way!

 Artists from top left, Mayrse Perdriat, Jane Alice Strand, Patti Sandham, Denise Milledge, Deb Weiers

Check it out! Registration is now open for the second session of this class! Click below to join us!

This class has brought me so much joy, since I for one, had never allowed myself the pleasure of painting horses – why? –  because I simply believed I couldn’t do it! I pushed through that limiting belief and painted bold, beautiful horses that made my heart happy!

Here are a few of my pieces! I took the liberty of putting them into beautiful rooms digitally so you could get a feel for them! How gorgeous is this first room by Danielle Oakley? She’s one talented lady!

These three colorful girls I titled -“The Three Graces”  – Such a fun and playful piece that I loved creating!

{Interior Design by Danielle Oakley}  

This one is called “Beloved” and is glimmering with gold leaf. It’s inspired by the work of Erica Nordean – an amazing equine artist! This one was also a delight to create. Working large was expansive for me and really helped me express the horse!

{Image via here} 

And here is my Painted Horse Collage you may recognize from the Sprit Horse promo! He looks quite handsome in this room I think!

{Image via here}

Thanks for taking a peek at my horse art. I hope you have a gorgeous weekend! Happy creating!

xo,

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The Inner Critic and my Spirit Horses

Hello beautiful souls,

How are you all doing? Spring is starting to show up around here. I adore all the sweet pink buds and daffodils! While the flowers have been blooming, I’ve been busy in the studio filming for my new class – Spirit Horse.

Let me tell you – these Spirit Horse are teaching me so much! I’m creating this class to give others the courage to create large Horse art and  WOW – I’ve found that my own courage is being challenged!!

My inner-critic has been on overdrive! I can hear her sniping at me – awful words and thoughts about myself. She’s a real pain and while I usually can keep her at bay, she jumped me a couple of days ago and I felt like a complete failure. Yeah…she’s not the most accurate voice in my head but she can be the loudest!

I decided I needed to drown her out and blast some music (Sia) and just draw like a crazy lady. Fast, (using the wrong hand half the time) and attack the page with charcoal and water! 15 drawings later…something emerged…something beautiful…something loving, something powerful!

The next three drawings flowed out of me. I cried the entire time (mostly out of relief and joy).

These beautiful Spirit horses arrived with such an overwhelming energy of love. It completely blew me away. I hardly knew what was happening.

Once we can silence that inner critic our creative muse comes out to play. I am so grateful she didn’t move out entirely!!

I encourage you to do this if you find yourself paralyzed by fear and self doubt it your art! Move your body! Dance! Sing! And then approach the easel with an open and gentle heart. See what emerges as your inner critic starts to quiet.

Share your art with me! I would love to see it! You can post on my Facebook page!

Much love to you all!

xo,

New Online Mixed Media Workshop – Spirit Horse

Good morning my friends! I’m so very thrilled to share with you the news that I have a brand NEW workshop offering! This idea had been running through my mind for some time now. What a joy it is to bring it to light! I have always loved horses but never gave myself permission to paint them, thinking…well…that I just wasn’t skilled enough! Well, I busted through that limiting belief and now I can’t stop painting them!

If you love horses and have been yearning to create them in your own work then come join me as I guide you through the creation of THREE major works of Mixed Media art! I’m talking BIG finished, glorious, bold, expressive paintings that you can hang or sell right away! No previous experience necessary!

Come read more about it here!

I can’t wait to see you in class!

xo,

Fall Daydreams and Equestrian Love

Hello there! I’ve been having a bit of “blogger’s block” recently but tonight, I finally sat down and decided to share with you some images that have been floating around in my head for the last week. You see, one of the mom’s at Grace’s school is a horse woman and she has just gotten back into riding. I think that is so fabulous! I’m completely useless on a horse so I always admire those who connect with them! Every time we get one of those perfectly, crisp Autumn mornings, I think of her riding her horse through golden fields and falling leaves. For some reason Autumn and horses just go together don’t they? A bright fall sky, the crunching of leaves, a touch of morning fog, the reds, oranges and yellows, warm sweaters and riding boots…I mean it’s a match made in heaven really. Don’t you think?

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I may not be the best on a horse but I can still lust after that equestrian look…

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So lady like and refined but still strong. Love it!

This everyday outfit is perfect with just the right amount of equestrian appeal….(click to shop)

Okay, one more horsey pic…I could gaze at these gorgeous creatures all day…

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What are you dreaming about on these beautiful Fall days?

xo,

Home on the Range…

Hello friends. I know I haven’t posted in a while but I have good reasons. I have been sick and I’m in beautiful Montana. We are here for the local 4th of July celebrations and to visit with my family. Even though I’ve been plagued the entire time with an awful sinus/respiratory infection, I dragged myself outside during the golden hour to take pictures…

My dad’s horse, Corky always makes a lovely subject…

this is how we all feel when we get to Montana…

totally blissed out.

I love it here.

Happy 4th of July!

xo,

Meet Corky

I love horses. I admit I am not a fan of horseback riding per say, but I adore their beauty, their large sweet eyes and their powerful form. I went out today and took photos of my dad’s horse, Corky.

He doesn’t have a regal name (thanks to my dad’s quirky sense of humor) but he does have his own sense of majesty.

An agreeable model and ever curious…he came up to me to investigate my camera.

Meet Corky…

xo,

Ivy