2021-09-14 21:51
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Drawing On Life; Blog
karenbakerthumm.blogspot.com
My creative life as an equestrian artist with insights and adventures.
2021-07-20 00:58
What can I say? It’s been a tough three years. Three and a half years ago I said good bye to my horse and just haven’t found the right words to post here since. Probably som… Read More
2018-03-09 18:26
Two weeks ago today I lost the love of my life, my muse, my dream-come-true horse, my beloved Scottie.Scottie had a long and well-loved life. I bought him as a still green four year old. I h… Read More
2017-06-09 16:05
"Huntley" one of my early pet portraitsIf you've ever been through this ordeal, you know that being fired from a job can be a humiliating and demoralizing experience. But, sometimes it… Read More
2017-04-22 21:56
"Spring Lamb" 8x10 oil painting on linen canvas panelI guess by now it's no secret that I've been in a bit of a creative slump for some time now. There is no need to dredge up the reas… Read More
2016-08-07 17:57
"Morgana", graphite pencil drawing, Morgan mareAfter several more hours and many revisions to the drawing, "Morgana", I am declaring it finished. It is the first piece of art (other than ske… Read More
2016-07-28 14:14
"Morgana" pencil drawing of a Morgan MareWhile watching the Democratic National Convention this week, I've been working on this drawing in one of my sketch books. As reference, I'… Read More
2016-05-18 21:56
"Feel So Fine" springtime foal is now home and available for purchase. For several years I've had my artwork in a very nice shop in the nearby small village of Central Lake. It started out a… Read More
2016-04-12 19:56
First layer of color on new paintingI have begun a new painting; the first in a very long time. It's a simple painting set up mostly to be non threatening, non intimidating and fairly easy… Read More
2016-02-29 17:04
"Molly" pastel dog portraitLooking through a pile of old portraits, I came across this one of Molly the Bichon Frise.She was a charming little dog who loved her tennis ball, so of cour… Read More
2016-02-27 17:47
"Cadence", a pastel portraitHere is another in a series of old portraits to share with you. This is Cadence, a flashy Morab driving horse. The portrait was 11"x14" pastel on paper… Read More
2016-02-17 17:49
It's safe to say that I am rusty when it comes to painting. Witness the painting above. Last week I put in time on this painting two days in a row. On the second day, I wiped off part o… Read More
2016-02-17 17:48
"Sudan" 24x24 inch oil painting While I'm toiling away preparing tax stuff to send to the accountant, I've decided to share some of my older artwork and portrait work with you and shar… Read More
2016-01-20 16:23
"Daisy" an old pastel portrait It’s been a very difficult year. Not battling cancer difficult or losing a loved one difficult but difficult in other and multiple ways which combined to… Read More
2016-01-20 16:06
"Twilight Reverie" in progress paintingRevised painting, in progressAfter an unusually warm Fall and a very green Christmas, the weather has changed from mid October-like to mid winter in th… Read More
2015-10-27 19:55
The view from my studioLady Autumn has descended on northwest Michigan, laying her golden hued gossamer cloak upon the earth and imbuing the air with a soft glow that no other season knows… Read More
2015-09-23 15:49
"Echo" a Quarter Horse MareDrawing from the photographI saw a woolly caterpillar in the barn aisle the other day, and that is a sure sign that Fall is here and winter is on its way. Usu… Read More
2015-09-13 17:28
"Impromptu" a horse head pencil drawingSaturday, September 12, 2015 was an exciting day for us die hard Michigan fans. The University of Michigan has a new football coach, as almost everyone… Read More
2015-09-04 18:30
The fence line flower beds all weeded and mulchedWhew! It has been a very busy summer! After a year of total neglect, I did finally get all the flower beds cleaned out, the annuals and… Read More
2015-06-01 02:21
"Twilight Reverie", oil painting in progressSound the trumpets! Ring the church bells! I am finally at long last back to work on paintings! Last year was a difficult year, and to t… Read More
2015-05-20 15:02
"Houseplant" 5x8 colored pencil drawingThis is a colored pencil drawing of a house plant that I did thirty years ago. It was drawn from life. I never finished it and, from time to time, come… Read More
2015-05-11 17:00
"Jim Sciutto of CNN" thumbnail sketch Yesterday was Mother's Day. My kids never come home for this occasion because they come up for the longer Memorial Day weekend which is later in th… Read More
2015-04-29 17:14
"The Dressage Clinic" 16x20 inch pastel, SoldPictured above is the very first work of art that I sold that wasn't a portrait. I'd been doing horse and pet portraits for years but had never m… Read More
2015-04-18 20:04
My horse, ScottieMy horse, Scottie, turned thirty a few days ago. That is a remarkable achievement for a horse, and considering how gravely ill Scottie was just two and a half years ago, it… Read More
2015-03-21 20:51
"Feel So Fine" Pastel Painting of a Foal in SpringToday is the first official full day of Spring, and isn't it especially welcome this year? Never mind that it snowed here this morning.For w… Read More
2015-03-04 16:09
"Scotty and Me" old graphite pencil drawingI have two entries in the Institute of Equine Artists online exhibition which opened on March 1, 2015. Both are older pieces, but I am hoping to ge… Read More
2014-12-21 20:24
Misty and I Our house has been exceptionally busy the past few weeks.Last Saturday, December 13, we adopted two rescued dogs after being without any dogs for nine whole years. Needless… Read More
2014-11-02 21:29
Polar bear and cubs pencil drawingA couple of weeks ago I was in Michaels and couldn’t resist buying some of those cute miniature animals. Telling myself that I would use them as props… Read More
2014-10-16 21:32
"Bear", 11x14 pastel horse paintingIt's been a long time since I last posted, and although I haven't quite gotten back to the easel yet, I thought I'd share this old portrait with you today… Read More
2014-07-30 15:04
My usual studio setup for painting, with references nearby. Whenever I create a painting or drawing, I take progress pictures along the way. By the finish, I’ve got lots of photos… Read More
2014-07-24 16:42
reference photograph of two draft horses for an equine paintingFelled by another bout of Hummingbird syndrome, I haven’t done any painting in a couple of weeks now. But I did sort thro… Read More
2014-07-05 15:51
Oil Painting of a pinto foalYesterday's leftover paint painting didn't go as well as the first one I did. But, Hey! I made the effort, and that's what counts.The little pitcher painting didn… Read More
2014-07-03 16:39
"Mom's Pitcher", 7x5" oil painting on canvas boardThis is a little painting I did yesterday of a blue green glass pitcher that had been my mother’s. It's a 7x5 inch oil painting… Read More
2014-06-27 16:13
Red Color Chart of Oil Painting Pigments by BrandA couple of weeks ago I made the very painful decision to give up on trying to finish a painting, let alone two paintings, to enter in a juri… Read More
2014-06-22 01:42
"Goldilocks" palomino filly sketchI’ve been suffering lately with a case of Hummingbird Syndrome; easily distracted and flitting from one project to another without finishing any of th… Read More
2014-06-05 20:52
Horse oil painting on canvasThat’s how it goes sometimes with painting. Almost every painting is a struggle at some point. The background on the Twilight painting is now pretty mu… Read More
2014-05-29 15:05
Work in progress of an event horse. Oil on canvasSince I'm still not very mobile with this broken leg and can't go work out in the flower beds, I have to content myself with creating g… Read More
2014-05-25 18:37
"Twilight Reverie", horse oil painting on canvasIt’s Memorial Day weekend, and the weather is beautiful, the trees are finally leafing out and Spring bulbs are blooming here in NW MIch… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
Reference photo for "The Twilight Of My Years"In a few days I'll be having surgery to correct a crooked leg that is causing all kinds of problems the older I get. Age is catching up to me, v… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
"Jesse Darkstar" Appaloosa Horse DrawingIn the process of going through old art records today I came across two preliminary drawings that I did for portraits way back in 2001 and couldn&rsqu&hell…Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
watercolor and ink painting of a schoonerThe Great Lakes are known for violent storms during the month of November, and they have claimed many ships and lives over the centuries as a result… Read More
2006-06-07 11:16
Here’s an update on the Glory painting. I have finished Glory herself except for the mane, forelock and eye and some touchups once the background is finalized. She is coming along… Read More
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