Day at Colonial Downs Race Track

We had the chance to spend the day at Colonial Downs Race Track today. It was great!
This was the first time I have seen harness racing in person, and not on the television. I had the opportunity to participate in a charity race before the real races began. I couldn't believe that no one in my husband's company wanted to do it. So, I spoke up and said I did! Six other people from other company's also made up our race. We were just along for the ride, but it was great!!!
They gave us helmets and tipperary vests for protection. I am wearing a green jacket and vest. My driver's name was Tyler, he was very nice to have me climb aboard! Our horse was Kelly's Traveling Man. He is a pacer, so it was interesting to watch him move.
We were last out of the barn onto the track. The barn in on the opposite side of the track from the grandstand. We followed a truck with a gate attached to it, past the grandstand and to the far turn. We all made an about turn and got closer to the gate as the truck increased it's speed. We never really got close to the truck, still behind on the outside.
All of the horses sped up and the race was on! We still were behind everyone. The driver "hissed" at the horse and boy, did he shift into gear! We suddenly were in the middle of the group and moving up! He hissed again, and again, the horse just shot forward! It was great!
We Won!! What a great experience it was, I want to do it again!!

Latest horse portrait

Cruisin' on a Goodbar

This is the latest horse portrait I have just finished. It is a equine portrait of "Cruisin' on a Goodbar", or "Cruiser" as we all know him!

The owner gave me a great photo to paint from and made my job so much easier!

This is painted on a 11" x 14" canvas board. That way, they can find a nice frame and just have to remove the glass.

The custom portrait is a surprise birthday present for her daughter. So happy birthday Ashley!

Latest murals

this is the latest mural painting we have just finished today! We started in the kitchen doorway. The owner wanted some painted molding around the doorway to match existing woodwork in the house. We painted the molding and the shelf over the door. The terra cotta pots are more red to go with the decor of the room's drapes. We also painted some exposed bricks on each side of the door. We matched the tone of the bricks to the tile backsplash.



After talking to the owners, they asked if we could do something with their fireplace wall. They had just added the mantle and wanted more impact on that wall. A plasma tv is usually hanging on the black bracket. We matched the bricks again to the tile in the kitchen.

It is an open floorplan and needed to blend.
The fireplace faux bricks turned out better than we had expected!! It looked great! It has added so much to the wall. In fact, it looks like it has always been there! We were very pleased with the end results.

Amarillis Flowers in Master Bath

This floral painting of an amarillis bulb is painted ona master bath wall. There is a slight angle corner in the wall. Dottie painted the bulbs in a glass vase on a white shelf. This is all paint, no real shelf, or glass vase.