andalusian stallion

ACRYLIC ON CANVAS AND STONEHEDGE PAPER
48x72" • $10,000

STATUS: AVAILABLE

Before I ever saw a wild mustang, I had traveled as a teenager through two different study abroad programs from Wisconsin and Youth for Understanding.  Those two trips involved a summer in both Mexico and Spain, living in the private homes of wonderfully gracious families.  I learned Spanish and gained an appreciation of both cultures.  In later years, back home in the USA, I learned about Spain’s Andalusian horses.  On a return trip to Spain my mother, my stepfather, my husband and I traveled as guests to Andalusian horse ranches.  Always having loved and drawn horses since I was a child, it was natural to paint these horses, too. That led to a show in Seville, Spain at Equiberia and to many art shows throughout the USA with my Andalusian horse paintings. It was a wonderful experience to also be invited to Andalusian ranches in the USA. This large painting with Golden Acrylic black, gold and deep purple, titled ANDALUSIAN STALLION is of a stallion I saw at a ranch near Las Vegas. I painted white gesso over both sides of 100% cotton Stonehenge paper, letting it dry between each coat, giving it body. I attached it to the wall to paint it.  When it was dry I could not get it off the wall and had to tear around all the edges.  With my large strokes I had painted off the Stonehenge paper’s edges and onto the wall. It was a wonderful mistake when it revealed beautifully irregular torn edges. This was a great exploratory time for me. I love the torn edges. Life is not perfect. Art is not perfect. I love it in its primitiveness. It calls to me. In order to hang the painting I had to adhere it to a large canvas.  Using Golden Acrylic Gel Gloss, I brushed it over both the canvas surface and back of the Andalusian Stallion evenly.  Then, slowly and carefully, the painting was smoothed on and left to dry on top of a large table for several days. Golden Acrylic paint is amazing not only for the color brilliance, but also in its strength and ability to adjust to varying temperatures.