Last month I posted the patriotic bucket I made that a friend bought from me. She then asked if I would paint six more for the upcoming horse show her Quarter Horse organization was putting on in May. They were for the Small Fry classes (basically kids classes) and they would have the class silhouette on the front and the show logo on the back. I said I would and worked on them diligently so I would have them done in plenty of time before deadline, which I did.
My friend invited me to the show, so I snapped a few photos of the buckets and the kids that would receive them.
Here are the photos from the Lucky 7 Classic Quarter Horse Show held in Murfreesboro, Tennessee this year:
Front of the buckets
These show the buckets that were used for the trophies for the Small Fry classes at the show. Each one is hand painted in latex house paint. They filled the buckets with horse treats and peppermints.
Back of bucketsAwards on display in show office
And the winner is…
Here are the entrants to the Western Pleasure class awaiting the judges decision. It was hectic in the awards area, so I did not get a good shot of the winner, but they were quite happy! Again, you just never know where something may lead…
One project I find very rewarding is plein air painting. That is the process of simply painting outdoors, whether it be in a city or the country, using the medium of your choice. It is a wonderful way to connect with nature in its purest form. My husband and I recently took a trip to the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee. We met with family and friends to see the sights and had a wonderful time. While driving the Cades Cove Loop we stopped for a break at a point called Abrams Falls. The sign said a moderately difficult 2.5 mile trail that will take about 3-4 hours round trip. We did not have time to hike then, but decided we would do it in a day or two.
Photo of Abrams Falls in Cades Cove, Tennessee in the Smoky Mountains by Denny Martindale
The rest of our party left a day earlier than we originally thought, so we planned our hike for that morning. I had thrown in a canvas and grabbed a handful of paints and brushes (literally) as we packed for the trip, so I decided to take them with as you never know what you might find. I carted the paint gear and David carried water and snacks and we set out on the trail. It was a clear, cool morning as we made our hour and a half trek to the falls. They are not overly big but the setting is in a cove and it is really refreshing as you sit and listen to the sound of the water surging over the edge of the rocks. I found a log that made a perfect seat and proceeded to set up to paint. Since I have only done plein air on a couple of other occasions, it takes a little more thought to set up than if I did this on a regular basis.
Artist at work, plein air painting Abrams Falls Photo by David Martindale
I proceeded to block in the basic shapes of the falls and the surrounding landscape. I had just grabbed some tubes of paint so my colors were a bit limited, but I figured I could probably make do. One of the major aspects of plein air painting is the timing of the light, shadows and atmospheric conditions that allows an artist to recreate a particular scene. Midday is not always the most opportune time, and here I was painting at high noon. Although the air was still on the cool side, the sunlight and resulting reflection was intense. It helped that I was in the shade, but the colors were not what they would be in the morning or later in the afternoon. I even reached a point in the process when I was so dissatisfied with the piece that I was actually ready to quit! At the urging of my husband, I continued on and after about an hour and a half, to my surprise, finished with a piece that, all things considered, is not too shabby. During this time, other hikers were coming and going, and everyone wanted to see what I was up to. I presume they were impressed as they took photos of me at work, and one man even took a close up of the painting and then one of the falls from my perspective.
Finished piece, Abrams Falls, acrylic, 9″ x 12″ by Denny Martindale
After we were home for a couple of weeks, I finished it off with a coat of varnish for acrylics and once dry, placed it in a black frame. If you have not tried plein air painting, you might just want to give it a try. Make sure you prepare for the elements, pack the correct painting gear, and tell yourself you are out there to have fun. Once you loosen up and decide it doesn’t have to be perfect, you will have a wonderful experience with nature that only plein air painting can give.
September 9, 2011–February 5, 2012 | Exhibition
A Divine Light
Northern Renaissance Paintings from the Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery
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Antoine de Lonhy. The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (detail) , 1490. Tempera on canvas transferred from panel, 53 x 51 3/16 in. Bob Jones Collection, 1958; Inv. No. P.58.118
A Divine Light: Northern Renaissance Paintings from the Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery and its accompanying catalogue, which have been awarded financial support from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, presents twenty-eight works of art from one of the finest collections of Old Master paintings in the United States. These paintings were acquired by Dr. Bob Jones, Jr., for the art museum he founded in 1951 at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC.
The great Baroque holdings of the museum have long overshadowed other parts of the collection, and A Divine Light marks the first time that its beautiful Northern Renaissance paintings have been the sole focus of an exhibition. A Divine Light is designed as intimate encounter with the devotional art of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and explores the ways in which Northern Renaissance artists expressed the central mysteries of the Christian faith through setting, pose, gesture, and the objects of everyday life.
Four of the paintings have undergone conservation treatment prior to their presentation in Nashville.
A Divine Light: Northern Renaissance Paintings from the Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery is organized by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and the Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery.
Add this to your “To Do’s” as we slip into winter! The Parthenon’s Cowan Collection is an incredible array of fine art and includes work from Bierstadt, Vedder, Church, and Benjamin West. The provenance of this 60+ piece collection is quite intriguing and fulfills John M. Cowan’s wish: “……In my humble way to express to the citizens of that State, to some extent at least, the love and reverence I entertain for Tennessee.”
I always say that one of the best values on Nashvilleâs tourist circuit is The Parthenon, and Iâm happy to tell you that on Tuesday, they are opening a new permanent exhibit that explores the history of this beloved landmark, which was built for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition.
Martindale Artworks' Blog 
