Oliver, A Good Old Boy

"Oliver", 24"x24", Oil with Resin varnish, $950

I have a longstanding love of horses. This guy belonged to some friends of mine, and was more a backyard pet than a workhorse. He has since gone to live with new owners, so I'm glad I got his picture to work from. This stance, for a horse, with the back hoof resting, means the horse is relaxed and comfortable. Just hangin' out, watching me take his picture, probably curious as to when he was going to get a treat from me.

This painting uses a panel as its support. The surface of a panel is strong, doesn't move when paint is applied, and smooth. That creates a different surface from canvas. I like the way the paint flows across the surface, allowing detail or drips with ease. Because of that I was able to combine both, allowing a traditional subject contemporary presentation.

The painting has been varnished with epoxy resin, the equivalent of 50 coats of traditional varnish. The result is a glass-like finish that is very clear and shows every brushstroke, enhances the color, and makes the painting look like it was just painted.

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Paintings That Work Well Together or Alone

I recently completed these four paintings:

A Real Charmer

Baby Steps

Little Lady

Peaceful Moment

These paintings were requested by someone who had bought a similar painting I had at the gallery. He decided he could use a few more to create a grouping. They are all small, and perfectly suited to arrange in a variety of ways. They can fill a small or large space that is vertical, horizontal, or square.

I know it sounds simple, but I had to think about what to do to make all the paintings strong enough to stand on their own while similar enough to work well as a unified group.

To do that I made several decisions to achieve that goal:

• All the horses are standing.
• They are all approximately the same size on the canvas.
• The backgrounds are similar, using neutral colors and little detail.
• Each painting is the same size.

When I get a picture of the grouping in their new home I'll post it.

"Hilton Head Harley" Original Horse Oil Painting by Georgia Artist Cathy McIntire

"Harley", Oil on Gallery wrap canvas, 36"x36"
Currently at Watson Gallery

I had a chance to meet this gorgeous, friendly Clydesdale while I was in Hilton Head with some friends. There was a stable close to where we were staying, and we could see him and lots of his "friends" in the pasture every time we drove by. I took my camera one evening on the way to dinner, in hopes of getting pictures of the horses, but the owner of the stable waved us away saying it was closing time. I was pretty disappointed, as I didn't know if I would have another opportunity to get pictures.

On our way out of town we went by one more time and pretty much hit the jackpot. Well, sort of. I got several pictures of Harley, as well as some of his stablemates. My last blog post was about one of the small white ponies at the stable. I have more reference photos to work from, so I'll be painting more equine works in the next several weeks.

This is the reference photo I worked from:

I took out the white and made him solid. I hope he's okay with that...

I also altered the background, eliminating extraneous detail and adding color and texture to strengthen the visual impact of the subject, namely, Harley.

I've always loved horses. As a little girl I entered a contest to win a shetland pony. The picture in the magazine showed a gorgeous palomino colored pony with flowing mane and tail. I have to give my mom credit for letting me even enter. (I lost.) After I married, my husband gave me a quarter horse named Teaka. Yes, we kept her in the back yard. He built a fence and a stable for her. It was great to go into the kitchen in the morning for that first cup of coffee, and look out the kitchen window to see Teaka staring back.

Having Teaka gave me a chance to really study the physical structure of horses. I wasn't actively painting at the time, but I guess everything we learn gets stored for later use. Horses are truly beautiful animals, and Harley is amazing in that, at that size, he is so gentle, patient, and friendly to all who come to see him.