Monday, January 11, 2021

Orlik, By a Nose

My NaMoPaiMo decision is still ongoing.  I have 4 pieces of tack to get through before I can pursue NMPM with a clean and free conscience.  I also have about sixty Christmas letters -- !!  Talk about too much to do...  And she thinks she can paint two horses in a month?!?  Methinks it will be a miracle if I get even one started.

But it's always like that.

I thought you might like to see the galley proofs of the latest Nudie Selfie photo shoot.  By now this pattern is nicely settled in:  This will be my fourth National Model Painting Month.  As is traditional, my husband takes my Nudie Selfies.  Also traditional, I'm standing in the TSII tack shop and pony room, a delightful place (if I say so).  What is Not traditional is the hat.  It's cold out there!!  Fear not, when it's warm again the Tilley will reappear... *

Above: uncropped.  Below, a different shot.  In this case,  Ziggy the carousel horse (behind my right elbow) is less visible.

 To round out the Orlik shots, here is a different perspective of the room.  This is the corner just to the right of the above shot:  The horsiest corner, where the two longest walls of shelves meet.


Why Orlik?

Because he's a bit more attainable, a little more do-able.  He's not a leap off the cliff into something I've never done.  Believe it or not, I'm still healing right now, spiritually if not physically.  I'm recovering from an awful year -- one whose terrors are not over for us, nor likely to be for a while.  Yes, I said I was ready for diversity.  Both dapples and roan will be new for me, although I'm not at all planning on a hair by hair...  :)  Orlik chose his color when I fell in love with this photo.

Another reason for choosing Orlik is the faint, although quite real, vision of a Troika.  I already have two similar horses finished, one with the neck turned --!!  I have long wanted to get back into harness... a 'failing' made apparent by my accepting a harness order...

Ziggy Stardust has not chosen his color to such a detailed depth yet, so that's why it's Orlik by a nose.  But this decision is not cast in stone:  Ziggy is not far behind.  He's closing in, on both a color and a name (gold-point Siamese)(Coney), and I was so comfortable with the idea of painting him that he got some Selfie Nudies too.

The smile is real.

I have not yet signed up for NaMoPaiMo.  But it's only a matter of time.  I thank in advance the tack customers and the letter-readers:  I appreciate your understanding.


* I name my hats.  The silver-and-rawhide Tilley broadbrim is named Coondoondah the 11th (this is an Australian aboriginal word meaning "hat").  The blue-and-purple tassel hat was called an Inca hat and this has rendered down in the family to "Inkerhat."

2 comments:

  1. I really like Orlick - such a beautiful piece. And it was fun seeing your tackroom/horseroom/workshop.

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  2. By all means, enjoy NaMoPaiMo before worrying about my tack order. There is healing in doing something creative just for the joy of it! That is what NaMoPaiMo does for me during my most stressful time of year at work. Either model will be wonderful to see come to life!

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