PAINTING PEZ

Today I worked on a 'portrait' of Pez, my neighbors most amazing warm-blooded, black horse. Glen Browning invited me to photograph Pez last month and in the course of that time I have been toying with what to do about Pez.  I created a silk screen image and placed that on various backgrounds, I transformed altered photos of Pez into laser prints, perhaps for later transfers, and I started a painting of Pez's fabulous head.  Today was productive in that the painting moved forward fulfilling the fleeting, yet strangely concrete notions I want to materialize in the work. Painting a horse that has little variation in tonality, (he is jet black) is one challenge.  Fortunately, it was a sunny day during my photo session, so there were some highlights, and shine, and bridle, and metal.   But beyond all of that,  I crave the vitality, war-like greatness of this animal.  He made it possible for Scythian nomads to course over the Eurasian steppes.  The Celts of middle Europe made Pez their means of dominating Gaul and then Britain.  His ancestors carried Crusaders!! He was a knights horse. Now his great mass and rich heritage are pulled into the dressage arena where horse and rider meld and restrain and float.

                                         PEZ, day one

                                         PEZ in studio

                                          PEZ, day two