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[17131435]
[2011-04-02 20:06:54 +0000 UTC]
"Rosemary Hart"
(United Kingdom)
# Statistics
Favourites: 88; Deviations: 12; Watchers: 2
Watching: 5; Pageviews: 2445; Comments Made: 194; Friends: 5
# About me
I recall a time when I couldn't draw horses. Many other things, but not horses. Having owned a horse, I knew what the various points of conformation should look like, but couldn't connect them all together. This annoyed me so much that I worked on it. One evening I sat down in the kitchen with a pencil and a pile of scrap paper, but one drawing after another went in the bin. Finally, in frustration I drew a little mare shying away from me, and I liked her! I suddenly realised where my problems lay. And that little mare changed the course of my life!I'd had a gorgeous thoroughbred who could have made a show horse if I'd had the money, so I was constantly trying to recreate her and pose Superhorse for the judge! I realised I should forget about horses posed in profile, thoroughbreds, and perfect conformation, and draw ordinary horses doing their own thing. I started to look at hairy heels and Roman noses in a different light, and there is nothing like drawing something to make you realise how beautiful it is. All the time I'd been obsessed with thoroughbreds I'd never given cobs and heavy horses a second thought!
My horse used to live next to the Royal Showground, and I never missed a single Royal Show. One day, feeling lonely because of the lack of a partner, I was having coffee with a very pleasant gentleman when he asked me what I proposed to do for the rest of the day. My answer: 'Watching the judging of the heavy horses,' was the right one! Edward, the best partner of my life, was a well-respected writer on the heavy horse. He reported for the only heavy horse magazine in the country, and I travelled to shows as his assistant, but when I wanted to travel to shows that he couldn't attend, he urged me to submit small reports on minor shows to the magazine. That was the thin end of the wedge! After a few years both Edward and the editor asked me to write the main report on the Royal Show!
Sitting by show rings for hours at a time, the part I enjoy is watching horses in movement, but heavy horses also have their feet examined by the judge. There is a saying: 'no foot, no horse', so it is good sense, but for a spectator it is boring... So I decided to sketch. I soon become so engrossed that I have to watch that I don't neglect to note down everything I need for my report! When the heavy horse judging is over, I tour the trade stands, seeking out the artists who exhibit at these shows, so I know how my own work compares with the best in the country, and many of these artists have become my friends.
At each show I tend to focus on one particular aspect of a heavy horse. I normally see Shires, plus a few Clydesdales, so I sketch Suffolks and Percherons when I have the chance. Looking through my artwork, I am sorry that there are so few paintings of heavy horses, something I intend to rectify this coming show season. The main reason is the series of Rainbow Horses, given their own folder. That's when I come up against the limitations of copying photos. I feel that sketching from life gives me a far more thorough understanding of my subject than would be possible if I merely worked from other people's photos.
In evenings at shows I camp near the heavy horse people and, free from the distractions in a house, I have time to paint, using my sketches for reference... At the end I’ll be going home to the Blue Remembered Hills, where I would never have come to live if it hadn’t been for Edward. In time I’ll turn my attention to landscape paintings. Meanwhile my tent is pure luxury, my friends and their wonderful horses are all around, and I'm painting.... It's as close to heaven on earth as I can get...
Current Residence: The Blue Remembered Hills
Favourite genre of music: Classical and folk
# Comments
Comments: 9
Hi, Rosemary! I've just seen the quote! It's BRILLIANT! I've not seen a statue to a critic, either! Keep on Creating! Cheers!
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ThanXXX SOOO much for ALL the Favs! I feel very honoured! Keep on Creating, Rosemary! Cheers!
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ThanXXX SOOO much, Rosemary, for your "SuperMoon Final" Fav! I based the painting on my photograph of the "Supermoon" taken from my Village beach! 40 X 50 cms Acrylic on Daler Board! It took 75 minutes painting time. Keep on Creating! Cheers!
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Welcome to DA! I’m sure you will enjoy the opportunity to share Art, Ideas and Support with other Artists across the Globe through DA! Good Luck with your Art! Keep on Creating! Cheers!
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The support people were helpful! All is well now!
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Thanks a lot,
Maybe I can discover what I actually do to post artwork without getting error messages.
The system asks for some text so I type some. It then tells me I can't upload text as art, and I should type some text!
Well I was using a text box that appeared to be designed for the purpose!
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Thanks! Here I am, and I can upload art now! Pleased to meet everyone!
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