Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Snow Sketches and Sand Wash Basin HMA for the Mustang A Day Challenge

"Drifting"
Sienna Pencil on watercolor Paper
6" by 9"
by LindaLMartin
I just returned from an interesting, warm and somewhat normal Christmas visit to my family in the Mountains of Virginia. We started out the few days with vigor and anxiously watching the perilous 2 storms about to clash just to the east of us.  We wondered if we would find ourselves camped out together, speaking different languages, dealing with different challenges and hoping to survive a possible blizzard  while responsibilities for some of us waited at some distance.


"Flurries after the Storm"
Umber Pencil on Watercolor Paper
6" by 9"
by LindaLMartin

We were torn as to whether we wanted to be home with the family or back in our snug little beds. My biggest fear was that my pet sitter wouldn't be able to get to the cats for days if there was a large snow as some predicted. And if I did make it home would there be a way to get to the house via the snow covered driveway with a bad ankle.
 As Providence would have it, we got a slight dusting of snow, everyone was all tense for no good reason, including myself, and after 3 days of trying to figure out how to relax after a somewhat intense last month of the year.. it finally happened. I sat down in a chair in front of the Christmas Tree in mom's living room, shut out the world and began to sketch.


"Searching the Snow"
Umber Pencil on Watercolor Paper
6" by 9"
by LindaLMartin

There were visions of horses in my head. Visions of mustangs in Colorado and maybe even some remote places I didn't really know. And in my visions were mustangs dealing with the elements in winter. Snow, open places,  driving winds, ice, flurries. Each driven to survive by instinct yet driven more by wise old lead mares and band stallions. Band stallions who knew where the best grasses lay hidden under the snow, who knew how to paw down through the snow with bucket shaped hoofs and then stand so their legs caught the snow as it drifted against them providing a wind break.


"Sheltered"
Sienna Pencil on Watercolor Paper
6" by 9"
by LindaLMartin
The wind breaks were helped by grease wood and sage, And mares standing hunched, backs facing the wind protecting their young from harsh winds. Sometimes they would find a break from the wind  against rocks or low trees. Stallions would stand with their backs toward the wind and call, screaming into it to other stallions who might or might not answer. We have it easy and gripe and complain and they don't. They have it hard yet thrive on the adversity of it. They stay beautiful and become strong and thrive.  Well some do. Some are buried in the snow, others that one thinks are weak and might perish are encouraged  and pushed and comforted by their herd as long as there is a spark of a will to live they will work together with all their instinct, their will, their wisdom to allow for it.

In the spring it is as much a surprise, delight and relief to see who made it through the winter as it is to see what color combinations and markings each new foal will bring forth.


"Corona"
By Nancy Roberts
Photo used by Permission

I found out today that as I was sketching these, Nancy Roberts,  a wild horse watcher and Mustang enthusiast near Craig, Colorado, was out on the range after the snow and took the most amazingly beautiful photo that sums it all up. I cannot decide what impresses me most: the passion and dedication that Nancy has to these horses to travel off the beaten path in winter or the majestic beauty and romantic quality of  the Photograph its self. Corona in Winter is the theme. And truly Nancy has captured the handiwork of God through her own eyes of love in one simple photograph that no artist, myself included could ever begin to improve upon.
If you would like to see this beautiful photograph of Corona  and more of the Sand Wash Basin Mustangs please go to the Sand Wash Basin  Wild Horses page in facebook at this link:

The 4 studies in pastel may be purchased as a group for $125 plus S&H to benefit the Challenge project. This money will help buy supplies for the project and frame selected paintings to be included in the traveling exhibit later in the year.  If you are interested please email me at LLMartisticServices@yahoo.comLLMartisticServices@yahoo.com or contact me through Facebook.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Alder Hill Farm's Flip Mustang A Day Challenge #16


"Flip's Dream"
3.5 by 6 inch Acrylic on Gessoed Matte Board
by LindaLMartin
I've been thinking of doing a special painting the day before Christmas Holiday. A photo send to me by Scott Litherland the horseman repurposer at Alder Hill Farm gave me an idea. Flip is a very special horse.  Released into the care of Scott and now a part of Alder Hill's growing accompaniment of  rescued mustangs, Flip is quickly becoming the poster boy for  wild horses that are adopted from the BLM and then released into the general domestic population. For this horse, he was untitled when realeased to Scott, with a BLM brand and because he was an older stallion, he requires special handling to make him safe to handle and useful.

Flip's actions suggest that he was an active band stallion that when captured, he probably lost his harem. He is continuously calling to mares and  pacing the fence line. He is a hard keeper, a horse that for some reason wears himself down from worrying himself for want of a family. Now safely at Alder Hill Farm, before his training will continue  he will be gelded and fed a special diet that will hopefully build up his condition and help him to adjust to being in captivity.


There is much more to Flip's story that isn't known. He was named Flip because of a damage ear that seems to have been bent and broken over. This might have been done  while he was in the wild  and fighting other stallions or it might have been done with rough handling and force by his captors, early in his captivity. The origin of the injury will probably never be known, simply because the origin of his captivity is not, at this point, known. He is branded with a BLM brand, which dates him at about 15 years of age. According to Scott, once he is able to be handled, Flip's neck will be shaved over the brand area to better read the symbols and perhaps find out where he is from and a little of his early history.

When a Mustang is selected by prospective owners there is a year long process that is suppose to be followed, including a final inspection to determine that the animal is safe, healthy, in good care and is not a danger to himself or others. Once the inspection is complete  the title is given to the new owner. Once the Mustang is given a clear title, the new owner can sell or give away the horse at any point. Unfortunately upon preliminary research, Flip was found to be untitled.  So many questions remain. Who Howned him and how did he end up at a horse sale auction? Yes, that is where he was found and purchased for $100 by an experienced horse woman in Oklahoma. According to Scott she phoned him to take Flip because she didn't have time to dedicate to his handling properly. She literally saved him from being purchased for slaughter.

"Update: Flip passed away in the Summer of 2012. His estimated age was between 17 and 20. In the remaining months of his life he was turned out with the herd where he formed a band of three mares. One of the mares had a young foal that he adopted as his own. Even after his ordeal Flip never forgot his wild heritage and took the young foal under his wing to teach him the ways of the horse."

If you would like to commission a painting for the Mustang A Day Challenge please  contact me at contact@LLMartin.com
To see available MustangADayChallenge Paintings go to  www.etsy.com/shop/MustangADayChallenge

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Alder Hill Farm's Frost Mustang A Day Challenge #15

Special Christmas Fund Raiser Running from 12/16 to 12/23:
Alder Hill Farm Rescue's Mustangs
 
"Frost"
Alder Hill Farm Mustang
5" by 7"
Acrylic on gessoed matte board
$45.00
by LindaLMartin

"Frost"
Photography provided by
Alder Hill Farm Equine Rescue

About the Christmas Fund Raising paintings:
Each of these original paintings is of a unique Mustang that has been rescued at some time after its gather from the range at a Herd Management area in the west. All of these Alder Hill horses had been through the adoption process but then circumstances changed and they were either abandoned, sent to horse sales or  other wise surrendered to trainer Scott Litherland or Alder Hill Rescue.

Each of these original paintings is 5 by 7 inches in size and painted in acrylic on gessoed matte board, then signed by the artist.
100% of the proceeds( after expenses) of these 7 paintings leading up to Christmas break will be donated to Alder Hill for the care and feeding of the  Horses. The copyrights are not sold with the paintings.

The paintings will be offered on Etsy Starting on Monday December 20th as they are painted.  They will be offered for $45 dollars each plus Shipping and handling. $10 will go to the Mustang A Day Challenge Project for fees and materials  used in the project and the remaining $35 will go directly to Alder Hill Farm once the once payment has cleared.

If you see a Mustang Painting you would like to purchase listed in the Blog that isnt in the www.etsy.com/shop/MustangADayChallenge  store please contact me to see if it is still available. email: contact@LLMartin.com
Plase put "I want a Mustang Painting" in the  subject line. I will gladly paint the mustang of your choice.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Alder Hill Farm's Brio Mustang A Day Challenge #14

Update from editor: Alder Hill Farm is no longer an active rescue.
 


"Brio"
Alder Hill Farm Mustang
5" by 7"
$45.00
Acrylic on Gessoed Matte Board
by LindaLMartin


If you see a Mustang Painting you would like to purchase listed in the Blog that isnt in the www.etsy.com/shop/MustangADayChallenge  store please contact me to see if it is still available. email: contact@LLMartin.com
Plase put "I want a Mustang Painting" in the  subject line


Monday, December 20, 2010

Alder Hill Farm's Rosie Mustang A Day Challenge #13

note: Alder Hill Farm is no longer an active rescue. A portion of the sale of remaining paintings and prints of AFH will be used continue the MADC wild horse project.
"Rosie"
Alder Hill Farm Rescue Mustang
5 by 7 inches
Acrylic on Gessoed Matte Board
by Linda L Martin
"Rose"
Refrence photography used by permission
Alder Hill Farm Rescue
About the Christmas Fund Raising paintings:
Each of these original paintings is of a unique Mustang that has been rescued at some time after its gather from the range at a Herd Management area in the west. All of these Alder Hill horses had been through the adoption process but then circumstances changed and they were either abandoned, sent to horse sales or  other wise surrendered to trainer Scott Litherland or Alder Hill Rescue.

Each of these original paintings is 5 by 7 inches in size and painted in acrylic on gessoed matte board, then signed by the artist.
100% of the proceeds( after expenses) of these 7 paintings leading up to Christmas break will be donated to Alder Hill for the care and feeding of the  Horses.

The paintings will be offered on Etsy Starting on Monday December 20th as they are painted.  They will be offered for $45 dollars each plus Shipping and handling. $10 will go to the Mustang A Day Challenge Project for fees and materials  used in the project and the remaining $35 will go directly to Alder Hill Farm once the once payment has cleared.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Alder Hill Farm's Dolly Mustang A Day Challenge #12

"Dolly"
Alder Hill Farm Mustang
Acrylic on gessoed matte Board
5" by 7"
Sold
by LindaLMartin
"Dolly"
Photo provided by Alder Hill Farm

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Alder Hill Farm's Domino Mustang A Day Challenge Mustang # 11

  Special Note: Alder Hill Farm is no longer an active rescue.
Domino
Black and White Paint Mustang
(one blue eye)
5 by 7 inch
Sold
Acrylic on Gessoed Matte Board
by LindaLMartin

Slight Change of Focus for Christmas:
Its a little less than a week before Christmas.  Ive decided to make a little change in the painting schedule due to an untimely injury. Instead of the 3 horses I had planned for this week I am doing to do a special mini Challenge of the Alder Hill Farm Rescue Mustangs.
There are 7 of these beauties ranging from A Pryor Mountain Movie Star Mustang, to a Mustang with a partial BLM Brand, to a Mustang with no brand at all.

 Each of these horses are true American Mustangs. Through a series of events unforeseen by their adopters these horses ended up either as "surrenders" meaning that the horses were put into the care of  Alder Hill's Trainer Scott Litherland when owners could no longer afford their care or because  training issues made  the Mustangs too difficult and unsafe to handle.  Other Mustangs were rescued at  horse sales to prevent large quantity horse dealers from shipping them out of the country to be  processed for food.


Photo courtesy of
Alder Hill Farm Rescue

Alder Hill now has over 100 horses of every breed and color. They  will add a few more from a major rescue operation in Arkansas last week.  Scott and one of Alder Hill's founders, Leslie Maxwell, participated with HSUS and ASPCA teams to help assess and remove over 116 abandoned and neglected horses from a dealer feed lot. 

About the paintings:

Each of these original paintings will be 5 by 7 inches in size and painted in acrylic on gessoed matte board, then signed by the artist. 
100% of the proceeds( after expenses) of these 7 paintings leading up to Christmas break will be donated to Alder Hill for the care and feeding of the  Horses.

The paintings will be offered on Etsy Starting on Monday December 20th as they are painted.  They will be offered for $45 dollars each plus Shipping and handling. $20 will go to the Mustang A Day Challenge Project for fees and materials  used in the project and the remaining $25 will go directly to Alder Hill Farm once the once payment has cleared.

Domino spending  Quality time with Napoleon.
 Prince and the mini-Donkey are in the background.
Photo courtesy of
Alder Hill Farm Rescue


Domino
The First Horse in the this mini challenge is  Domino. Domino was surrendered to Scott Litherland. Domino is now Leslie's Maxwell's personal  trail horse. She says: "The amazing thing is Domino was not even captured until he was 10 and gelded at 12,  He is 14, yet he is wonderful on the trails and has stamina and heart to put the young uns to shame!" Domino's training is on going and sometimes when running with the herd his Mustang band stallion tendencies tend to come out.  He tends to gather the Alder Hill mares when he is running out at pasture.

One of the unique ways of helping him regain his focus is to remove him from the bigger horses and put him in with the  Minis Napoleon and Prince and their friend the mini donkey. In this small enclosure Napoleon is the herd boss.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Rounder Band Stallion of Sand Wash Basin HMA Challenge Painting #10

There are so many things that can be deceptive about things living wild. Youth and Stamina sometimes don't win out over wisdom and age. Oddly enough it's a little difficult to tell the difference between a stallion with some age on him and a stallion that is just run down from trying to fight off other stallions or defend his mares from continuous onslaught of opportunistic bachelor stallions.

Rounder
Band Stallion Sand Wash Basin HMA
8 by 10 inch Acrylic on Canvas Board
$265.00
by LindaLMartin Copyright(c)2010
Reference Photography by Sally Wright

The first image I ever saw of Rounder he looked like a beat up old man on his last legs from a life time of hard living. However, by May of  2010 he had stolen every mare that Lighting had kept safely through the winter and all of his foals under 2 years. By the time breeding season was over Rounder had not only gathered a harem of  6, but he was putting on weight and  vigor from the confidence that standing against an established stallion brings.  At the end of breeding season, it was Lighting who looked depressed and worn down. At the time Lighting was the only horse on Sand Wash Basin HMA that seemed to be under weight.

Life on the  sparse Sand Wash Basin is hard, but even harder facing a winter depressed and underweight. Fortunately Lighting also eventually adjusted to his loss and will probably being seeking out mares again. He now runs with the bachelors.  These changes are continual on the range. Lightning's foals will grow to young horses and now in the spring, unless there is human intervention, Rounder will produce offspring with the mares and raise the foals of Lighting.

An interesting side note.  When I first began training and learning about horses and their behavior,  we were warned that a stallion will kill the foal of another stallion. From what I have seen and heard from the observers this is not true in wild horses. The truth be known, I didn't see it in my own horses either when I had domestics. In fact, what seems to happen more often than not is that  when a band stallion takes a mare and her nursing foal, and her foal to be, They are all adopted completely into his family. He cares for and nurtures those foals just like he would a natural born foal.


Refrence Photo of  Rounder provided
 by Sally Wright

One of the striking differences I have noticed between domestic horses and wild horses, Mustangs specifically, is that the successful stallions have not only a strong sense of survival but they have a strong sense of protection and benevolence. The successful stallion provides,  to the best of his ability, every opportunity for his band to survive. This includes being gentle with the foals and nurturing them. I wonder as I learn more  of the tenderness between horses, if one of the reasons some older stallions never seem to loose their mares is not because they are stronger but because there is true appreciation and affection for the stallion from the mares.

It will be interesting to see what happens between Rounder and his mares in the next  few months and how well they go through the winter.  It will also be interesting to see if Lighting will try and succeed to get his mares back. Stay tuned. 


Special Thanks to Sally Wright for the Reference Photography

Monday, December 13, 2010

Centauro Band Stallion of Sand Wash Basin HMA Challenge #9

Centauro
Acrylic on Gessoed MattBoard
5 x 7 Inches
$45.00
by LindaLMartin(c)2010


 
Centauro Photo
by Nancy Roberts

Friday, December 10, 2010

Sparrow of Sand Wash Basin HMA Challenge Painting #8


Sparrow
of Sand Wash Basin
5" by 7"
acrylic on gessoed Matte Board
$45.00
by LindaLMartin
Reference Photo provided by Nancy Roberts
 Sparrow is a yearling filly at Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area. She was born in Eagle's band. Usually  filly will stay with their band until the age of 2 or 3 or until such a time that another stallion steals her. 
Sparrow is a bit different from the other more vigorous horses in the band. She is under weight and doesn't seem to be developing like the other horses her age. Even though her coat has luster and her eyes are bright there is some issue in that she is not a thriving horse going into the winter.
Nancy Roberts and some of the other herd watchers at Sand Wash Basin  noticed that She was no longer with her band in the early fall but had been kicked out and adopted by the bachelor stallions. They observed that she has no trouble keeping up the the wild boys of Sand Wash Basin and the bachelors seem to dote on her and protect her.

Everyone is waiting with some concern to see how she fairs during the winter because of her frail appearance. Should she make it through the winter and into the breeding season,  she may run with the boys another year or until her first heat. If she comes into heat she will probably create quite a stir with in the bachelor herd until one of them claims and wins her.


Sparrow
Reference Photography by
Nancy Roberts

There are arguments in some quarters that a horse that is ailing or ill or seems to have poor condition  it should be removed from the herds. Even though that would seem a humane choice for a domestic horse, in the case of the wild horse their ability to make their own choices and live free, even though seeming a death sentence, in the case of Sparrow it might be the making of a new legacy of survival. The thing that is different among the wild horses is there is a self determination that doesnt exist in horses in captivity.

Natural selection and survival of the fittest does play a major role in which horses thrive and which dont.  Those with the best bodies that adapt to extreems in weather and conditons, those with the strongest bone, the most intellegence and the hardest most adaptival behavior, the best feet, they go on to contribute to the gene pool. This makes for a tough horse with social skills and intelligance sometimes missing in domestic horses that have been over bred  for specific use. Some times living wild seems brutal and harsh but the best and fittest are the ones that go on to produce. They pass on those same qualities to their off spring. Its the reason why in areas that seem not to support animal life these amazing Mustangs have thrived for the last 500 years.

One cant help but love little Sparrow and her gentle nature.
As I was painting this little painting I was reminded of the the  great song verse.. " His eye is on the Sparrow, I know he watches over me."
This painting was created by request from Gabriele Moritz.
 Special Thanks to Nancy Roberts for the reference photograph.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Corona: Band Stallion of Sand Wash Basin Painting #7


Corona
Band Stallion of Sand Wash Basin Co
8 by 10 inch acrylic on canvas board
$256.00
by Linda L Martin(c)2010

Corona has been called the Fabio of SandWash Basin HMA, with his long light blond mane and a forelock that falls over mischivous eyes. Undoutedly the sexiest of the Sand Wash Basin Stallions this horse is unique in Color and stands out  as a strong band stallion. His age has been estimated so that it makes him among the oldest of the Sand Wash Baisn band stallions. His mares are healthy, his foals strong and beautiful. Corona's ability to keep his mares together and well fed in the sparce conditions of the range shows that he isnt just another  pretty face but that he is a driving force among the band stallions.

Refrence Photo by
Nancy Roberts

His uniqueness is not just in his presense and his family leadership; it is in his color too. Corona is a rare Dunalino.  At first glance his coloring gleams like a golden palamino. However at closer glance one notices that he has a distinct dorsal stripe and zebra markings on his legs, and dark outlines on his ears that are genetically present in all dun horses. The fact that he is golden with a slight goldish hue to his lighter mane and tale is eveidence that he also carries a gene for cream. Both dun and cream genes are resessive. Every offspring  Corona produces would be graced with the rare ressive traits. He is a beautiful and unique jewel of the Sand Wash Basin HMA.

Special thanks to Nancy Roberts for  the refrence photography

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Lightning of Sand Wash Basin HMA Mustang A Day Challenge Painting #6

Update 1/13/2015:
News from Sand Wash Basin HMA in Colorado - It was reported today that  a  BLM  representative found  that former band stallion Lightning had passed away on the range. According to The Sand Wash Basin Advocate Team it was believed that Lightning was at or near 30 years old. In the remaining year of his life was photographed  many times by advocates, with Picasso. Even in his remaining months, Lightning remained, as always, a beautiful spirited and free wild horse.


 ~*~*~*~


Lightning
8 by 10
acrylic on canvas board
$265.00
by Linda L Martin (c) 2010
Reference Photography via Nancy Roberts
Lightning is a very flashy black paint horse with  what appears to be a large white dagger on his face in the form of a blaze then a lighting mark on his left side neck and stomach. He has other white markings too. Lighting is a perfect example of the ever changing circumstances of the band Stallions. Last year, according to heard watchers at Sand Wash Basin HMA , he had a small band of mares and foals, however by this summer one by one each mare had been stolen by other stallions until he found himself alone and fighting  stallion after stallion to try to get his mares back, or even trying to gain a mare.


Lighting
detail of Photo by
Nancy Roberts

There are a lot of reasons that a stallion running wild might loose his mares. Sometimes it has to do with age and weakening strength. Other times it has to do with the fact that during breeding season, because there are so many bachelor stallions running together trying to establish their own harem's that a band stallion might be simply overwhelmed with the constant challenges and diversions.
I'm not sure of Lightning's age or how long he was a band stallion but it was surely long enough to have sired foals as several in his small band had not his color but similar markings of white.


By late summer, from document photography I viewed on Face Book, Lightning had worried himself and been fighting so hard for his mares that his condition was not very good going into the Winter. He was thin, an unusual occurrence among the documented horses on that particular HMA.  Finally, right after Thanksgiving this fall, he was spotted with a herd of bachelor stallions. He looked fit, had gained weight and he was sparing playfully with the others. Not only that but he was sporting a nice thick winter coat.

You will notice in the painting I've done for the challenge that Lightning has a lot of battle scars. This is not unusual for wild stallions.

A special thanks to Nancy Roberts for the photography and the link to the video of Lighting of Sand Wash Basin

 Just a side note on the video: This was taken when Lightning still had his band.
The two horses he is confronting are young bachelor stallions who are challenging him but are not up to a fight.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Red Desert White Band Stallion Mustang A Day Painting #5


Red Desert Band Stallion
Painting by Linda L Martin
8 by 10 inches
$265.00
Acrylic on Canvas Pannel

This Band Stallion photo was used by permission by Horse and Western Heritage Photographer Tamara Gooch.  Tamara says she has followed this stallion and photographed him quite a bit. As of September he had a band of 4 mares all with foals.” He certainly is the tough guy on the block” Says Tamara, “ always wanting to test another stallion even when mating season is long over.”
Tamara goes on to say that  this HMA( Horse Management Area) is one  that is scheduled for a round up in the spring of 2011.  It is possible that  round ups or gathers as they are often called might directly affect this stallion.
The Bureau of Land Management schedules the round ups as part of their herd management strategy. Unfortunately  many times family groups are separated during the round ups  and sometimes the normal herd activity is so disrupted that a vigorous stallion like this might be removed from the gene pool simply because population estimates are over management quotas.
Were the Stallions and their harems not interfered with by the round ups a stallion like this would naturally stay with his mares, protecting them and taking them to the best grazing  help his foals grow strong, until another stallion could fight him for control of the mares or steal one from him. In this way only the strongest and the wisest stallions produce foals.

Detail of  original Refrence
Photogrpah by
Tamara Gooch

Unfortunately, sometimes a stallion might loose his entire family and have to build it back up from scratch. Other times a stallion will be removed and all of his off spring and only the mares will be returned to the range. Sometimes only whole families will be removed and separated. Wise management in the HMA areas will make sure that viable family groups are returned to their ranges together after mares are treated with birth control to slow down the birth rate. However, consideration of herd behavior and natural selection varies from HMA to HMA. One of the challenges of  wild mustang  horse management is to maintain population levels on multiple use lands with out interfering with natural herd behavior.  It requires hours of field work and observation to distinguish and make determinations as to which horses should be removed from the range and which should stay.  
A group of herd watchers local to each HMA helps in this as do wildlife photographers like Tamara. They can document family groups, herd behavior and  herd migration patterns within the public and private lands of the Horse Management Areas.
If you are local to a herd management area and would like to donate photography and stories of the hores you document or watch please email me at llmartisticservices@yahoo.com
You can see more of Tamara's Work  at:  http://www.tamaragoochphoto.com./           
You can also find her on Facebook at: Tamara Gooch Photography
A Spcial Thanks to Tamara Gooch for her contribution to this painting.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Band Stallion Nomad of Sand Wash Basin Painting #4

Nomad of Sand Wash Basin
Nomad
Band Stallion of SandWash Basin
8 by 10 inch
$265.00
Acrylic on canvas Board
by LindaLMartin

Nomad is a buckskin or light bay band stallion in the HMA at Sand Wash Basin, Colorado. His harem consists of one mare and his black filly out of her.


Reference Photo by
Nancy Roberts
used by permission

He was named Nomad because of his habit of roaming far and wide all over the Horse Management area. As horses are nomadic in nature, Nomad takes it to the next level, always in search of the best food and water and never staying in one place too long. I highly suspect this is also Nomad's strategy for keeping other stallions from stealing his mare.
A special Thank-you to Nancy Roberts for the use of the Reference Photography
Find out more about the Challenge and how you can be involved at http://www.llmartin.com/


Friday, December 3, 2010

Band Stallion Prince of Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area: MADC Painting #3

Prince is one of  sseveral gray band stallions in the HMA at Sand Wash Basin. He tends to favor deep red chestnut mares and has some beautiful rosy roan offspring  in the photos of his harem.
 
Band Stallion Prince
copyright (c) 2010 LindaLMartin
8 by 10 acrylic on Canvas board
$265.00
Photo Refrence Credit to George Roosevelt 
The other Sand Wash Gray stallions are difficult to tell apart at a distance. Prince, besides his star quality, has a bit of pink around his nose and muzzle. Quite often, from the photos, Picasso's band is  nearby and they tend to migrate  around the horse mmanagement area(HMA) keeping their distance and their mare's separate. Prince like so many of the band stallions has bites and scars from his many battles for mares. The day this photo was taken Prince was chasing off a bachelor stallion trying to make off with one of his mares. Jimmy Darksand, the bachelor stallion that I named last year was the horse trying to circumvent Prince's domain and steal a mare for himself. 
See the originial painting in the Mustang A Day Challenge Store on Etsy:
www.etsy.com/shop/MustangADayChallenge

Thanks to George Roosevelt for the use of the refrence photography for this painting





Thursday, December 2, 2010

Picasso Band Stallion:Mustang A Day Challenge #2

Picasso of Sand Wash Basin
8 by 10 inch Acrylic on Canvas Board
$265.00
by Artist LindaLMartin

Picasso is probably the most flashy and famous Band Stallion on the range of Sand Wash Basin Horse Management Area. He has been featured in photography books and other items troughout the country. He is one of the older Stallions. Because of his age he has become savvy to the ways of the roundup. My understanding is that he illuded capture (using helicoptors)during the 2008 gathers and cowboys had to go out to bring him in.   Among his mares this year is also a stray domestic mare.  She will be featured in a painting with him later on in the challenge.
Thanks to Nancy Roberts for the photo image used as a resource for this painting.
For those interstested I dont strickly copy photography but  use it as refrences. As you can see by the photograph below I centered in on Picasso from a larger Photograph in order to Capture his movement. These first band stallion paintings I am trying to capture each in movement before I  move on to more complicated works of them. If you have a horse you wish to see painted as a part of the challenge please email me at contact@llmartin.com or message me in facebook.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Jet of Sand Wash Basin: Horse #1 in the Mustang A Day Personal Challenge of Linda L Martin


Jet, Band Stallion of Sand Wash Basin HMA
8 by 10 inch Acrylic on Canvas Board
$265.00
copyright(c)2010 LindaLMartin Artist
 Well  Here I am at the very beginning of the Mustang A Day Challenge. It was a really hard decision as to which band stallion I should paint first :flashy Picasso, the sexy Corona, powerful Prince… There are so many to choose from, and of course there is steady rangy Nomad. All of these will be painted soon. But the one I chose to start with was Jet.  I chose Jet for so many reasons. This leggy refind Stallion has a lot of determination and moxie. Not to mention he reaks of “Fury” and the Black stallion from tv fantasy and children’s books.
I re-thought Jet's importance when I read something that Nancy Roberts wrote about him. In 2008 he had a huge band of mares. During the round ups or Gathers as they are officially called, when the mares were separated out,  he like most of the band stallions lost his mares. For the last two years he has been fighting and collecting mares until now he is in the process of building up a large band again.
There is something to be said for the band stallion that uses all of his prowess, his determination and his strength to gather up mares and keep them safely through the winter, then make sure they are healthy through famine and drought in spite of the conditions they find themselves.
I haven’t seen too many photos of this Stallion  when he wasn’t facing the camera, as he is ever alert and ready to defend his band.  However, one of the Sand Wash Basin Photographers caught him as he lifted his head from grazing. When I told him I thought this needed to be a painting he emailed me the photo. Trouble is I cant find the email now to verify the name. So I won’t post the reference shot as it is very different from what I actually painted. But if the person will come forward I will post both their photo and give them credit.
So in the mean time It is with great excitement I give you the very first of the Mustang A Day Personal Challenge Paintings: Jet of Sand Wash Basin Colorado.
Update:
The Original Painting is now listed on Etsy in the Mustang A Day Challenge Shop. The current price will go up as the painting becomes more popular.  Link in here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/63442670/jet-of-sand-wash-basin-hma-mustang-a-day

You can also buy framed prints of Jet at www.zazzle.com/LindaLMartinArtist*
Proceeds generated from the sale of these items will go toward funding the Challenge project

Update:2/8/2011 The refrence photo for this painting was provided by photographer Jim Weston. If you would like to see the original image of Jet with his harem pre the gathers of 2008 you can see these amazing photos of Jim's on his facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?fbid=1350550978563&set=a.1350549618529.44733.1675031126&pid=682786&id=1675031126 
Thank-you, Jim!
Just a note to photographers. It would really help me out that when you lend me reference shots please put your name on the image in one of the bottom corners so this doesn’t happen again. If I do receive unmarked photos I will try to put your name on them but I cant garentee I can get to it with the sheer volume of work I am doing. Thanks =0)