Charlottesville, Va Keswick Horse Show

Finished setting up at the Keswick Horse Show, near Charlottesville, VA. An old grandstand, oaks and cedars throughout, it is a beautiful setting. I finished a painting of the main ring, which will be in the silent auction held at the country club later in the week. Met again with old friends and new ones while we all suffered through the heat. An exhibitors party sponsored by BJ's Hunt Room was a great end to the day.

Thunderstorms last night, cooler today but cloudy and chance of rain. I will be working on a commission at our booth until the sun comes out.

Here is the painting I created while at the Upperville Horse Show. It is the view from a farm on Atoka Road in Middleburg. I set up my easel and canvas and blinded by the sun directly in my eyes. Then, in what seemed like an instant, the mountains turned blue and the sky lit up. Only a short time to paint. I went back a couple of evenings to paint. I worked on details of the landscape from photographs during the day.

Ashby's Gap, Sunset from Inisfree Farm

The Upperville Horse Show

It's been almost two weeks since I last posted any paintings. Theresa and I had been getting ready for, going to, exhibiting work, painting, meeting clients and leaving the Upperville Horse Show.

We finally got everything situated in the van and travel trailer. Theresa drove in the car with Rosie the Corgi and I followed in the van with the trailer. We arrived in Upperville late Saturday afternoon. The only campsite available was at the end, under the trees. Being the last site in the row, we were able to park sideways, with a view of huge old oak trees and Salem Farm from the front and the polo field in the back.

Saturday evening and Sunday morning were spent setting up tents and display. The rain picked up in the afternoon and the final touches had to wait until Monday morning. After all that was finished, I got back to work on the two Jack Russell's from Rose Mount. At this point, I was ready to paint and paint I did. There are no photographs of the progress of this painting, so here is the finished painting....

Jack Russells at Rose Mount, oil on canvas, 9 x 12

I don't think that it was hanging for an entire day, before a girl walking by did a classic double take, "That's our dog!" She was on her cell phone to her mom, who came later and bought the painting. The puppy is their's and the bigger dog belongs to her trainer, Winn Alden. The painting was hung in the tack room at the show.

Below is the view from our campsite at the show grounds, across John Moseby Highway to Salem Farm.

Salem Farm, oil on canvas, 9 x 12

Tomorrow I set up for the Keswick show, then start painting. I will have more from Upperville then, including a larger painting "Ashby's Gap, Sunset from Inisfree Farm"