Happy Friday! I've been working on  an 11x14" oil painting of a couple of the nurse mare foals that were just rescued by Pure Thoughts Horse and Foal Rescue. I am going to call this one "She's Got Legs" - for obvious reasons! I am using a wonderful photograph taken by Tommy Huffstetler of Bella and Cooper. Thank you, Tommy! I will be donating the finished painting to Pure Thoughts Horse and Foal Rescue to help raise funds for the babies. I will also have prints available.

I wanted to show you the work in progress......Here's my initial sketch, two photos of the underpainting in progress, and the first glaze of color. I am planning on spending a good part of today in the studio working on this one.

If you would like more information on the nurse mare foal rescue, see my earlier blog posts or go to the Pure Thoughts website: www.pthr.org. The babies even have their own Facebook page. If you would like to donate help take care of these babies, you can do so at the PT website.

I wanted to write a quick post to say happy birthday to Cathy of Journey's End Ranch Animal Sanctuary (JERAS), one of my favorite animal rescues! JERAS is home to a number of mustangs and burros, as well as dogs and a pig. Cathy has taken in mustangs that were once wild but ended up in bad situations. Because of JERAS these animals are now living happy lives. I have used the JERAS residents as models for many of my paintings, and I am happy to donate a percentage of the sale of originals or prints to JERAS.  You can learn about this wonderful sanctuary, donate, and read about the dogs and horses that call JERAS home here: www.jersanctuary.org/.   Have a great day, Cathy!!

The Baby Express arrived safely at Pure Thoughts Horse and Foal Rescue after their long trip from Louisville, KY to Florida. There are 8 fillies, and they are all adorable. I am going to have so much reference material for paintings. I can't wait to start. In fact, I have started. I've done a little sketch of the babies sleeping, and I've started a preliminary sketch for an oil painting. I am going to donate the painting to Pure Thoughts as a fund raiser - these little orphans need a lot of care, some are only days old! I will also have prints of the painting available with 100% of the proceeds going to the rescue for these little girls. Below is the sketch I call Nap Time, and the preliminary sketch for the painting.......I have to call this painting "She's Got Legs." I will post updates as the painting progresses so you can all follow along. You can also get updates on the babies and information at www.pthr.org.

In 2007 I was horrified to read about a trailer accident in Illinois that killed a group of horses that were being shipped to slaughter. That incident spurred me to research horse slaughter, and I found Pure Thoughts just as they were gearing up for their Home for the Holidays Rescue. The group went to the notorious Sugarcreek Auction and saved over 80 horses from the kill buyers. Over the next few months, I met an amazing group of people and horses. Many paintings have come of that fateful research. I call the series Second Chances. The painting to the left is called "Remembering Triumph" and was the very first painting in the series. Triumph, was brought to the auction sick and injured. The rescue purchased him, knowing he was near his end to spare him a horrible trip to slaughter. He was loved, named, covered with a Christmas quilt before he was gently euthanized. I will never forget his story.

There were many happy stories to come out of that rescue. Brad and Jen at Pure Thoughts (www.pthr.org) have continued to do an amazing job helping horses in need. I wanted to share with you some of the Second Chance paintings and the wonderful horses they depict. These rescued horses have truly become my muses, and I thank them.